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OUR  FEET 

A  TREATISE  ON 

THE  HUMAN  FOOT 

AND  ITS  CLOTHING 


Showing  the  Injuries  and  Diseases  to  which  it 
is  Liable— such  as  Ingrowing  Toe-Nails,  Bun- 
ions, Corns,  etc.  Explaining  Methods  of  Treat- 
ment which  Each  May  Apply  for  Himself,  and 
Describing  the  Correct  Form  of  Shoe  and 
Stocking  to  Insure  Comfort. 

WITH  25  ILLUSTRATIONS 
BY 

CHAS.  O.  KAHLER, 

Surgeon  Chiropodist 


Dr.    P.  KAHLER'S  SONS 

Broadway,  New  York 
1903 

[copyright.] 


SECOND  EDITION 
Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1903, 

BY 

Dr.  P.  KAHLER'S  SONS, 
New  York, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 


All  rights  reserved. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface   7 

Introduction    8 

Chapter  L— THE  HUMAN  FOOT— Ex- 
planation of  its  Structure — Strong,  but 
Pliable — Fashion  versus  Common  Sense 
— Care  of  the  Feet  of  Children  and 
Adults    II 

Chapter  IL— HARD  CORNS— What  they 
Are — The  Cause — Where  they  Grow — 
Treatment  for  Ordinary  Cases — When 
Much  Inflamed — A  Remedy  for  Use  at 
Night — Temporary  Relief — Case  for 
Skilled  Chiropodist  or  Physician 15 

Chapter  III.— SOFT  CORNS— Their  Na- 
ttire — Where  Found — First  Symptom — 
Manner  of  Growth — To  Get  Rid  of 
Them   20 


4       TABLE   OF   CONTENTS— Continued 

Chapter  IV.— VASCULAR  CORNS— Of 
Rare  Occurrence — Found  on  the  Soles 
of  the  Feet  and  Toes — Meaning  of 
Name — General  Appearance — Best  Way 
to   Treat    24 

Chapter  V.— THE  TOE-NAILS— Their 
Use — Distortions — Suggestions  for  Cut- 
ting the  Toe-Nails — Ingrowing  Nails — 
Wrong  Treatment,  and  Its  Results — 
Way  to  Cure  Ingrowing  Nails — The 
Ancient  IMethod — The  Club  Nail — Its 
Cause  and  Cure 27 

Chapter  \T.  —  BUNIONS,  DISLO- 
CATED AND  ENLARGED  JOINTS 
— All  Three  Popularly  Called  Bunions — 
Cause  of  Bunions — Relief — Useless  to 
Treat  unless  Proper  Shoes  or  Stockings- 
are  Worn — Enlarged  Joints  Explained 
— Their  Treatment — Dislocated  Joints 
— Their  Cure   35 

Chapter  VH.  —  FLAT  FEET— How 
Caused — Frequency  of  Occurrence — 
Shoes  that  Cause  this  Trouble — Preven- 
tion— Relief — Arch  Supporters  46 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS— Continued     5 

PAGE 

Chapter  VIII.— GOUT,  SPRAINS,  AND 
CHILBLAINS— Origin  of  Gout— Re- 
lief for  the  Pain — Cause  and  Symptoms 
of  Sprain — Treatment  to  be  Used — 
Simple  Chilblains — Their  Cause — Gen- 
eral Treatment  Suggested 51 

Ceiaptfr  IX.— DISEASES  OF  THE  PER- 
SPIRATION, AND  COLD  FEET— 
Fetid  Odors — A  Sure  Cure — Cracking 
of  Skin  between  the  Toes — Treatment — 
Lack  of  Perspiration — Relief — Cold 
Feet — Aids  to  Defective  Circulation.  .  .      57 

Chapter  X.— HOW  TO  BATHE  AND 
DRESS  THE  FEET— Should  be 
Bathed  in  the  Evening — In  Salt  Water 
— Prescription  for  Brine — Hot  or  Cold 
Foot-Bath — Foot-Gear  for  Children — 
Stockings  —  Shoes  —  Effect  of  Foot- 
Clothing  on  Health — Bound  Feet  of 
Chinese  Women — The  Proper  Shoe ...      61 


Chapter  XL— ADDITIONAL  RECIPES 
AND  THEIR  USES— For  Simple 
Chilblains — To  Remove  Corns — To  Re- 


6        TABLE   OF  CONTENTS— Continued 

PAGE 

move  Warts — To  Remove  Soft  Corns — 
For  Ingrowing  Toe-Nails — For  Per- 
spiring Feet — For  Hard  Corns 74 

Chapter  XII.  —  SUNDRIES — Abraham 
Lincoln — The  Sandal  Shoe — Right  and 
Left  Stockings — Foot  and  Stocking  Cut 
Combined — Things  not  to  do 80 


PREFACE 

HE  first  edition  of  this  work,  having  been 
revised  and  abridged,  and  also  having 
received  important  additions,  is  now 
offered  to  the  public  in  this  volume. 

We  direct  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  im- 
portance of  referring  to  the  index,  as  the  work 
has  been  prepared  with  the  wants  of  the  non- 
professional reader  especially  in  view.  By  fol- 
lowing this  method,  information  sought  can  be 
found  most  readily;  and  by  aid  of  the  references, 
it  is  hoped  that  the  reader  will  secure  the  assist- 
ance he  needs. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  work,  the  author  has 
carefully  examined  all  the  best  material  at  his 
command,  and  freely  used  it,  the  special  object 
being  to  have  it  abreast  of  the  present  knowledge 
on  the  subjects  treated. 

The  volume  also  contains  valuable  recipes,  and 
different  antiseptics,  salves,  etc.,  which  he  uses  in 
his  own  practice.  These  will  be  a  great  help  to 
those  who  are  afflicted  with  any  of  the  ailments 
herein  described. 


INTRODUCTION 


REMARK  made  by  a  young  lady  in  the 
hearing  of  the  author  was  the  incentive 
to  this  effort  to  correct  some  prevalent 
fallacies  concerning  the  nature  and 
origin  of  maladies  of  the  feet.  The  observa- 
tion related  to  a  bunion,  which  the  lady  declared 
she  '■  inherited  from  her  parents." 

This  being  by  no  means  the  first  time  that  this 
and  similar  ideas  had  been  expressed  in  his  hear- 
ing, the  idea  of  a  treatise  on  the  human  foot  and 
its  ailments,  and  their  proper  treatment,  presented 
itself.  This  book,  which  is  written  for  the  public 
at  large,  is  designed  to  be  a  reference  book  of 
suggestion  and  help  to  the  people,  for  the  proper 
care  of  the  feet  and  the  treatment  of  maladies  in- 
cident to  them. 

Dr.  P.  Kahler,  now  deceased,  during  a  practice 
of  forty  years,  built  up  for  himself  a  name  as  a 
surgeon-chiropodist  which  will  long  be  remem- 
bered by  his  grateful  patrons,  and  during  the  last 
thirty  years,  the  author  of  the  following  chapters 
studied  and  practiced  the  same  under  his  tuition. 


INTRODUCTION  9 

As  a  practical  surgeon-chiropodist  of  thirty 
years'  actual  experience,  and  as  a  manufacturer 
of  footwear  of  all  kinds,  the  author  feels  justified 
in  attributing  ninety-five  out  of  every  hundred 
cases  of  ingrowing  toe-nails,  bunions,  corns,  and 
similar  maladies,  to  the  wearing  of  ill-fitting 
boots,  shoes  or  stockings,  and  in  asserting  that  the 
inheriting  of  ingrowing  toe-nails,  bunions  and 
corns  is  improbable. 

This  was  the  opinion  of  his  father,  founded  on 
a  still  larger  experience,  and  the  object  of  the 
author  is  to  manifest  this  fact,  and  to  show  how, 
by  proper  treatment,  and  the  wearing  of  boots 
and  shoes  made  in  harmony  with  the  natural 
shape  of  the  feet,  these  troublesome  deformities 
and  diseases,  in  time  may  be  removed. 

To  those  who  suffer,  and  to  those  who  would 
preserve  sound  and  healthy  feet,  this  work  is 
respectfully  dedicated. 


iiiYriif'i"'^"''  '^•i^vii  II  iiii 


A  healthy  and  perfect  foot  of  an  adult. 


OUR   FEET  II 

Chapter  o^ne 
THE  HUMAN  FOOT 

Explanation  of  its  Structure — Strong,  but  Pliable — 
Fashion  versus  Common  Sense — Care  of  the  Feet 
of  Children  and  Adults. 


HE  skeleton  or  framework  of  the  human 
foot  is  constructed  of  twenty-six  bones, 
very  beautifully  arranged,  and  admitting 
of  considerable  movement  at  the  various 
joints.  These  bones  form  the  heel  and  the  poste- 
rior section  of  the  foot.  They  are  irregular  in 
shape,  and  vary  in  size  from  the  os-calcis,  which  is 
about  two  and  one-half  inches  long,  to  the  smallest 
of  the  cuneiform  bones,  which  is  about  three-quar- 
ters of  an  inch  long,  and  one-half  of  an  inch  thick. 
They  are  held  together  at  the  joints  or  articula- 
tions by  numerous  ligaments  of  great  strength, 
and  while  each  joint  is  only  slightly  movable,  the 
group  of  bones  as  a  whole  is  flexible  to  a  marked 
degree. 

The  metatar?"^   bones  are  about   four  inches 
long,  and  three-eig-iths  of    an  inch  in  diameter. 


12  OUR   FEET 

(b)  They  articulate  with  the  tarsal  bones  behind 
and  with  the  phalanges  in  front.  In  shape  they 
are  very  similar  to  each  other  and  vary  only 
slightly  in  size  and  length. 

The  phalanges  (a)  are  the  bones  of  the  toes, 
each  toe  being  supported  by  three,  except  the 
great  toe,  which  has  two.  The  phalanges  of  the 
first  and  second  row  resemble  the  metatarsal 
bones,  but  are  smaller.  The  terminal  or  ungual 
phalanges  are  flat,  broad  and  rough  on  the  distal 
or  outer  end  for  the  support  of  the  bed  of  the  toe- 
nail. 

To  promote  the  elasticity  of  the  foot  and  to 
enable  this  collection  of  small  bones  to  support  the 
weight  of  the  body  properly,  the  bones  of  the 
tarsus  and  metatarsus  are  arranged  in  the  form 
of  an  arch,  known  as  the  plantar  arch,  and  are 
held  in  that  position  by  ligaments  and  the  long 
tendon  of  one  of  the  muscles  in  the  calf  of  the 
leg.  The  name  of  the  ligament  is  the  calcaneo- 
navicular and  the  tendon  is  a  continuation  of  the 
tibialis  posticus  muscle.  These  structures  stretch 
across  the  concavity  of  the  arch  like  a  bow- 
string across  a  bow,  and  as  the  ligament  is  elastic, 
it  tends  to  return  to  its  original  length  each  time  it 
is  stretched. 

The  posterior  limb  of  the  plantar  arch  is  the 


OUR   FEET  13 

shorter,  and  rests  on  the  oscalcis  or  heel  bone, 
which  thus  becomes  one  of  the  buttresses  of  the 
arch.  The  forward  or  anterior  limb  is  about 
twice  as  long  as  the  posterior  one,  and  rests  on 
the  heads  of  the  metatarsal  bones. 

The  elasticity  of  the  perfect  arch  prevents  un- 
due jarring  of  the  body  in  walking,  running  and 
jumping;  and  when  the  ligaments  are  relaxed  and 
the  arch  flattened  out,  the  condition  known  as 
flat-foot  exists. 

The  structure  of  the  foot,  from  a  mechanical 
point  of  view,  is  admirable,  for  while  each  joint 
allows  only  a  limited  amount  of  motion,  yet,  taken 
as  a  whole  it  is  pliable  and  very  strong. 

For  this  reason  it  is  of  immense  importance 
whether  the  shoe  worn  is  broad  or  narrow, 
rounded  or  pointed,  long  or  short,  thick  or  thin 
soled.  There  is  no  other  part  of  the  body  which 
receives  such  bad  treatment  as  the  foot.  The 
dictates  of  imreasoning  "  Fashion  "  demand  that 
the  feet  be  crowded  into  foot-wear  which  does 
not  fit  them,  the  result  being  only  what  might  be 
expected.  The  shoe  should  protect  the  foot,  not 
distort  it;  and  when  fashion  arrogates  to  herself 
the  right  to  determine  the  shape  of  the  feet,  she 
steps  outside  of  her  province :  and  nature  will 
revenge  herself  upon  the  willing  slave  of  fashion 


14  OUR   FEET 

by  the  infliction  of  corns,  bunions,  ingrowing 
nails,  and  all  sorts  of  kindred  ailments. 

Parents  who  care  anything  about  the  teeth  of 
their  children,  and  know  what  a  trivial  circum- 
stance will  cause  decay,  send  the  children  to  a 
dentist  at  regular  intervals,  and  as  a  result  the 
loss  of  teeth  during  middle  life  is  prevented. 
There  is  no  reason  why  a  similar  course  should 
not  be  followed  in  the  case  of  the  feet.  Children, 
if  sent  to  a  reliable  surgeon-chiropodist  at  regular 
intervals  to  have  their  feet  examined,  and  the  toe- 
nails cut,  will  avoid  many  if  not  all  of  the  ailments 
which  are  due  to  ill-fitting  shoes  or  stockings,  as 
he  can  tell  at  a  glance  when  anything  is  the  mat- 
ter, and  prevent  any  further  progress  of  the 
trouble. 

Even  adults  will  find  their  feet  greatly  bene- 
fited by  following  this  advice.  So  many  intelli- 
gent men  and  women  have  become  convinced  of 
the  wisdom  of  such  a  course,  that  before  many 
years  have  passed  the  public  will  regard  the  chi- 
ropodist as  important  to  their  well-being  as  the 
physician  or  dentist. 


Skeleton  of  the  Perfect  Human  Foot  and 
their  names,  as  follows 


A — Fourteen  Phalanges.  S— Five  Metatarsal.  C /o /—Seven  Tarsal. 
C  -Cuboid.  D,  E  and  F— Cuneiform  bones.  G— Navicular  or  Scaphoid. 
//— Astragulus.    /— Os-calcis  or  Calcaneum. 


OUR    FEET  15 


CtiajJter  W^o 
HARD  CORNS 

What  they  Are — The  Cause — Where  they  Grow — 
Treatment  for  Ordinary  Cases — When  Much  In- 
flamed— A  Remedy  for  Use  at  Night — Tem- 
porary Relief — Case  for  Surgeon-Chiropodist  or 
Physician. 

O  comprehend  fully  the  nature  of  a  hard 
corn,  we  must  first  understand  the 
structure  of  the  skin  in  which  it  de- 
velops. The  skin  is  composed  of  an 
outer,  horny  layer,  the  epidermis,  which  contains 
no  nerves  or  blood-vessels.  Its  nutritive  supply 
is  derived  from  the  lymph-channels  which  con- 
nect with  those  of  the  next  layer  under  it.  This 
inner  layer,  the  dermis  or  true-skin,  contains  the 
blood-vessels  and  the  nerve-endings  which  endow 
us  with  the  sense  of  touch.  Beneath  the  dermis 
is  the  subcutaneous  fat  which  serves  to  protect 
the  body  and  render  its  contour  pleasing-. 

A  hard  corn  is  the  thickening  of  the  epidermis, 


i6  OUR   FEET 

which  thickening  sends  off  a  small  projection 
from  its  under  surface  down  into  the  dermis. 
When,  therefore,  pressure  is  made  on  a  corn,  this 
projection  is  pressed  downward  into  the  dermis 
and  causes  severe  pain  by  its  irritation  of  the 
nerve-endings. 

Hard  corns  are  caused  by  pressure  or  friction 
of  any  kind,  but  chiefly  that  due  to  poorly  fitting 
footwear.  A  wrinkled  or  darned  stocking,  a  tight 
or  a  very  loose  shoe  will  almost  invariably  pro- 
duce one  or  more  corns.  A  loose  shoe  produces 
a  corn  by  friction,  and  a  tight  one  by  pressure. 
When  these  growths  are  fully  developed,  they 
render  walking  a  painful  task,  as  nearly  every 
step  causes  pain.  Removal  by  the  methods  given 
below  will  give  temporary  relief,  but  unless  the 
cause  is  removed,  the  corns  will  surely  return.  If 
they  are  neglected,  the  continued  irritation  will 
lead  to  inflammation  and  occasionally  to  the  for- 
mation of  pus.  When  this  condition  exists,  as 
evidenced  by  redness,  swelling,  pain  and  heat,  the 
treatment  must  first  be  directed  to  the  reducing 
of  the  inflammatory  condition,  and  afterwards  to 
the  radical  cure  of  the  corn.  Unless  the  strictest 
cleanliness  is  observed,  and  antiseptic  washes 
used,  the  inflamed  corn  may  be  the  starting  point 
for  an  attack  of  blood-poisoning,  which  will  re- 


Skeleton  of  the  Foot  when  distorted. 


OUR   FEET  17 

quire  a  surgeon's  attention  and  may  even  endan- 
ger life. 

Hard  corns  are  found  most  frequently  on  the 
outer  surface  of  the  fifth  toe,  and  on  the  tops  of 
the  joints  of  the  second,  third  and  fourth  toes. 
The  tips  of  the  toes  are  occasionally  afflicted,  and 
bunions,  partially  dislocated  joints,  enlarged 
joints,  and  hammer-toes  are  often  complicated 
with  them. 

The  following  treatment  is  recommended  for 
hard  corns.  First  bathe  the  foot  in  a  basin  of  hot 
water  for  about  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  drying  it 
well  at  the  expiration  of  that  time.  Moisten  the 
corn  thoroughly  with  a  little  spirits  of  ammonia 
(hartshorn)  and  with  a  corn  knife  pick  or  scrape 
up  the  edges  of  the  callosity,  which  will  be  soft 
and  easy  to  remove,  being  cautious  not  to  cut  deep 
enough  to  draw  blood.  Anoint  the  parts  affected 
well  with  vaseline  or  any  healing  salve,  and  then 
bind  them  with  a  piece  of  old  linen,  keeping  the 
binding  on  for  a  day  or  two.  Remove  at  night 
and  wear  a  very  loose  shoe  at  the  time,  so  as  to 
keep  all  pressure  from  the  sore  toes. 

Should  the  corn  be  highly  inflamed,  so  as  to 
have  the  appearance  of  a  fester,  make  a  slippery- 
elm  or  flaxseed  poultice  and  apply  to  the  sore  toe 
or  toes  before  going  to  bed,  keeping  it  on  through 


i8  OUR   FEET 

the  night.  In  the  morning  remove  the  pouhice 
and  bathe  the  foot  in  warm  water,  drying  thor- 
oughly immediately  after.  Then  with  a  dull 
knife  pick  the  corn  or  callous  as  close  as  possible 
without  drawing  blood. 

A  washer  must  then  be  cut  out  of  buckskin,  or 
a  number  of  thicknesses  of  chamois  skin,  with  an 
aperture  the  full  size  of  the  corn,  and  applied  with 
sticking-plaster.  The  thickness  of  this  washer  or 
shield  must  differ  according  to  the  height  to 
which  the  corn  has  grown,  so  as  to  relieve  the 
sore  parts  from  all  pressure.  The  aperture  in  the 
washer  should  be  filled  with  Dr.  Kahler's  salve. 

This  treatment  is  mild  and  effective,  and  will 
rarely  fail ;  but,  as  it  sometimes  occurs  that  the 
person  afflicted  is  compelled  to  go  out  in  all  sorts 
of  weather,  necessitating  the  wearing  of  ordinary 
shoes,  we  give  another  remedy  which  can  be  em- 
ployed at  night,  thus  avoiding  interference  with 
daily  employment,  and  which  will  relieve  if  not 
entirely  eradicate  the  trouble. 

A  slice  of  lemon  about  the  size  of  a  five-cent 
piece,  or  if  necessary,  larger,  can  be  bound  over 
the  corn  for  two  or  three  nights,  filing  or  scraping 
the  callous  parts  off  as  much  as  possible,  without 
causing  the  corn  to  bleed.  Then  wrap  the  toe  up 
in  old  linen  and  keep  the  wrappings  on  for  a  few 


The  foot  tortured  by  hard  corns,  and  distorted    toes. 


OUR   FEET  19 

days,  removing  at  night.  The  lemon  can  be  ap- 
pHed  as  often  as  is  found  necessary  to  soften  and 
loosen  the  corn.  This  remedy  is  entirely  harm- 
less. 

Temporary  relief  can  be  secured  by  the  follow- 
ing prescription,  for  the  outlay  of  a  few  cents  at 
the  nearest  drug  store.  Procure  a  camel's-hair 
brush  and  tincture  of  iodine,  and  paint  the  cal- 
loused spot.  Wear  an  old  shoe,  cutting  away  any 
portion  of  the  leather  which  would  be  likely  to 
press  on  the  corn. 

Should  the  irritation  have  produced  such  se- 
rious inflammation  that  the  remedies  already  given 
fail  to  give  the  desired  relief,  or  should  the  corn 
be  very  badly  ulcerated,  the  patient  should  con- 
sult a  skilled  chiropodist,  or  the  family  physician. 
Happily  this  is  not  often  the  case,  as  all  ordinary 
corns  will  yield  to  the  treatment  given  herein,  at 
the  same  time  remove  all  pressure  or  friction  and 
the  corn  will  disappear. 


20  OUR   FEET 

Cl)apter]tEri)rfe 
SOFT  CORNS 

Their      Nature — Where      Found — First      Symptoms — 
Manner  of  Growth — The  Treatment. 


OFT  corns  are  caused  by  the  two  great 
factors  in  the  production  of  all  corns — 
pressure  and  friction.  In  this  case,  how- 
ever, the  pressure  is  exerted  by  the  head 
of  one  of  the  phalanges  against  the  next  toe. 
The  corn  thus  started  is,  from  its  inception, 
bathed  continually  in  perspiration  and  inevitably 
becomes  soft  and  spongy.  If  neglected,  the  soft 
corn  will  develop  a  blister  containing  clear  serum, 
and  eventually  the  blister  breaks,  exposing  the 
surface  of  the  true-skin  and  an  ulcer  may  form. 
This  class  of  corns  is  invariably  found  between 
the  toes.  Most  frequently  they  are  located  be- 
tween the  fourth  and  fifth  toes,  sometimes  between 
the  third  and  fourth.  It  will  be  readily  perceived 
that  any  corn  developed  in  this  situation  will  as- 
sume the  characteristics  of  a  soft  corn,  as  a  result 
of  the  constant  presence  of  natural  perspiration. 


Showing  method  of  dressing  corns  located  upon  toes. 


OUR   FEET  21 

The  first  symptom  of  a  soft  corn  is  a  sensation 
of  burning  between  the  toes.  An  examination 
rarely  reveals  any  change  in  the  appearance  of  the 
parts,  but  occasionally  the  inner  surface  of  the 
toe  presents  a  slightly  reddened  appearance.  If, 
at  this  stage,  no  measures  are  instituted  for  the 
relief  of  the  condition,  the  epidermis  becomes 
thickened  from  the  irritation,  and  separates  from 
the  dermis,  forming  a  blister.  The  breaking  of 
this  blister  exposes  the  surface  of  the  true-skin, 
which  is  very  tender,  and  the  continued  pressure 
causes  the  thickening  of  the  epidermis,  which 
presses  on  the  dermis  and  gives  rise  to  pain,  which 
is  almost  unbearable,  and  may  even  cause  nausea. 
.  The  fully  developed  soft  corn  feels  like  a  piece 
of  sand  or  a  seed  between  the  toes ;  although,  in 
exceptional  cases,  are  very  flat. 

The  soft  corn  is  never  deeply  set  or  rooted,  and 
being  subjected  to  the  continual  pressure  of  the 
surrounding  toes,  does  not  project  much  above 
the  surface ;  and  being  of  a  spongy  nature,  similar 
to  india-rubber,  is  not  easily  extracted  with  an 
ordinary  knife. 

The  condition  of  the  corn  and  its  painfulness 
depend  entirely  upon  its  location,  and  the  amount 
of  pressure  and  moisture  to  which  it  is  subjected. 
If  the  pressure  be  very  great,  it  may  produce  in- 


22  OUR   FEET 

flammation  and  even  suppuration,  and  the  corn 
is  then  extremely  painful.  I  have  known  of  cases 
where  the  patient  has  been  unable  to  attend  to 
business  or  household  duties,  and  even  confined 
to  the  bed  for  several  days.  It  has  been  at  the 
least  a  fortnight  before  the  regular  shoe  could  be 
worn,  on  account  of  the  swelling  of  the  entire 
foot. 

The  best  way  to  get  rid  of  these  pests,  provided 
the  corn  be  not  too  much  inflammed,  is  to  remove 
with  a  corn -knife  or  fine  emery  paper  all  the 
white  or  yellow  skin.  Before  attempting  this  the 
foot  should  be  bathed  in  hot  water,  as  hot  as  can 
be  borne,  as  this  will  remove  much  of  the  inflam- 
mation. Caution  must  be  used  in  order  to  avoid 
causing  the  corn  to  bleed,  as  while  the  emery  pa- 
per cuts  imperceptibly  it  does  so  rapidly. 

Should  the  parts  be  too  highly  inflamed,  a 
poultice  of  bread  and  milk,  or  of  slippery-elm, 
must  be  applied  at  night,  and  removed  in  the 
morning,  when  the  foot  should  be  bathed  in  warm 
water.  This  having  been  attended  to,  with  a 
pointed  knife  pick  oft*  the  white  spot  as  much  as 
possible,  being  cautious  not  to  draw  blood. 

When  the  corn  lies  at  the  base  of  the  toe,  a 
small  piece  of  absorbent  cotton  or  sponge,  satu- 
rated in  spirits  of  camphor  or  lemon  juice,  must 


Showing  the  great  toe  crowded  beneath  the  other  toe. 


OUR   FEET  23 

be  applied  during  the  day,  repeating  the  appUca- 
tion  each  morning  until  the  corn  has  entirely  dis- 
appeared. Should  a  little  extra  growth  still  ap- 
pear, pick  it  out  with  the  point  of  a  knife,  as 
heretofore  instructed,  and  continue  the  applica- 
tion of  Dr.  Kahler's  salve. 

When  the  corn  is  located  between  the  toes,  at 
or  near  the  joints,  cut  a  washer  of  buckskin  or 
chamois  about  the  size  of  a  five-cent  piece,  with 
an  aperture  a  little  larger  than  the  corn,  and  ap~ 
ply  with  sticking-plaster,  filling  the  aperture  with 
absorbent  cotton  saturated  in  spirits  of  camphor 
or  lemon  juice.  Easy  stockings  and  shoes  in  such 
a  case  are  imperative. 


24  OUR   FEET 

Chapter  j?our 
VASCULAR  CORNS 

Of  Rare  Occurrence — Found  on  the  Sole  and  Heel 
of  the  Foot — Meaning  of  Name — General  Appear- 
ance— Best  Way  to  Treat. 


HE  vascular  corn,  which  is  exceedingly 
painful,  is  fortunately  rather  rare.  As 
the  name,  which  is  of  Latin  derivation 
implies,  this  growth  is  filled  with  minute 
blood-vessels,  which  make  the  danger  of  hemor- 
rhage greater  than  in  other  varieties  of  corns. 
These  corns  invariably  appear  on  the  plantar  sur- 
face, or  sole  of  the  foot,  and  usually  on  that  por- 
tion of  the  sole  known  as  the  "  ball  "  of  the  foot. 
They  closely  resemble  a  wart  in  appearance  and 
like  a  wart,  they  extend  to  a  considerable  distance 
below  the  surface.  They  do  not  extend  far  above 
the  skin.  AMien  fully  developed,  they  are  spongy, 
studded  with  minute  red  and  black  spots,  and  are 
surrounded  by  an  area  of  inflammation.  Fre- 
quently the  entire  foot  is  markedly  swollen  by  the 
extension  of  this  inflamed  area. 


Soft  corns  between  the  toes,  not  visible  ;  vascular 
corns  on  top  of  toes. 


OUR    FEET  25 

The  best  way  to  treat  a  vascular  corn  is  to  bathe 
the  foot  in  very  warm  water  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes ;  add  a  tablespoonful  of  borax  or  ammo- 
nia, in  order  to  allay  the  irritation,  and  dry  thor- 
oughly. Then  remove  the  surface  of  the  corn 
with  a  small  piece  of  emery  paper  or  knife,  but  be 
very  cautious  not  to  cause  the  rupture  of  any  of 
the  little  veins,  as  that  would  cause  them  to  bleed, 
and  the  treatment  could  not  be  proceeded  with 
until  the  hemorrhage  had  ceased.  To  stop  the 
flow,  touch  with  Lunar  caustic. 

When  little  red  spots  are  plainly  visible,  apply 
to  these  specks  or  points  caustic,  or  nitric 
acid  with  the  end  of  a  wooden  toothpick,  which 
must  be  whittled  to  a  point  in  order  not  to  get 
the  acid  on  any  except  the  part  affected.  Avoid 
using  the  foot  as  much  as  possible,  and  be  sure 
that  the  inside  sole  of  the  shoe  is  perfectly  smooth, 
and  that  the  stocking  has  no  prominent  darns, 
knots,  or  seams  to  cause  irritation  and  a  return  of 
the  trouble.  A  buckskin  or  chamois  sole  should 
be  worn  inside  of  the  shoes,  until  the  corn  has 
entirely  disappeared. 

The  caustic  or  acid  application  can  be  repeated 
each  day,  or  every  other  day,  as  may  prove  neces- 
sary, until  the  corn  is  cured. 

You  will  see  in  cut  how  to  dress  and  protect  the 


26  OUR   FEET 

said  corn.  The  pad  should  be  worn  and  renewed 
every  other  day  until  the  corn  has  entirely  dis- 
appeared. 

If  the  vascular  corn  does  not  yield  under  this 
treatment  consult  a  surgeon-chiropodist  or  your 
family  physician. 


Vascular  corns  on  sole  and  heel  of  foot  showing 
method  of  padding. 


Ingrown  toe-nail,  with  proud    flesh. 


OUR   FEET  27 

Ctjapter  fi\^t 
THE  TOE-NAILS 

Their  Use — Distortions — Suggestions  for  Cutting  the 
Toe-Nails — Ingrowing  Nails — Wrong  Treatment, 
and  its  Results — Way  to  Cure  Ingrowing  Nails — 
The  Ancient  Method — The  Club  Nail — Its  Cause — 
The  Hammer  Toe — Its  Care. 


N  this  age  of  hurry,  bustle,  and  money-get- 
ting, there  Is  no  part  of  the  human  body 
which  receives  so  little  attention  as  the 
toe-nail,  and  but  very  few  persons  appear 
even  to  know  its  use. 

The  nails  are  placed  over  the  ends  of  both  fin- 
gers and  toes  to  protect  the  nei*ves,  which  lie  very 
near  the  surface  of  the  skin,  and  which  would 
otherwise  prove  extremely  sensitive. 

Accident,  as  well  as  inattention  and  ignorance, 
cause  the  toe-nail  to  grow  in  various  shapes,  and 
as  the  shoe  tends  to  aggravate  this,  and  further 
injure  the  nail,  there  are  very  few  persons  who 
have  absolutely  perfect  toe-nails.  Badly  shaped 
nails  cause  pain  and  annoyance,  and  if  not  speedily 


28  OUR    FEET 

and  properly  attended  to,  end  in  that  most  com- 
mon complaint,  "  ingrowing  toe-nails." 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  desire  to  improve 
a  misshapen  nail,  no  matter  to  what  cause  it  may 
be  due,  I  make  the  few  following  suggestions. 

The  manner  in  which  the  toe-nails  are  cut  is  of 
the  greatest  importance.  The  feet  should  first  be 
bathed  for  a  short  time  in  salt  water,  and  while 
they  are  still  in  the  water  scrubbed  well  with  a 
stiff  brush,  especially  the  cuticle  around  the  base 
of  the  nails.  This  will  tend  to  remoA^e  any  ragged 
cuticle  and  chalky  white  substance,  which,  being 
thrown  off  by  the  pores  of  the  skin,  gathers  under 
the  nails.  Dry  the  feet  thoroughly,  especially  be- 
tween the  toes. 

When  the  nails  are  flat  trim  them  straight 
across,  even  with  the  ends  of  the  toes,  with  a 
pair  of  oval  scissors ;  but  when  oval  trim  them 
rather  rounded  on  the  ends,  but  not  pointed. 

Should  the  nail  have  a  tendency  to  turn  down 
and  into  the  flesh  at  the  sides,  insert  a  little  wad  of 
sponge  or  lint  under  it,  to  raise  the  nail,  thus  pre- 
venting it  from  irritating  the  flesh,  and  thus  de- 
veloping an  ingrowing  toe-nail,  which  when  once 
developed  will  cause  more  pain  and  suffering  than 
comes  from  any  other  trouble  connected  with  the 
foot. 


OUR    FEET  29 

The  toe-nails  are  liable  to  assume  this  shape, 
but  it  is  most  frequently  found  in  the  nails  of  the 
great  toes.  This  is  usually  due  to  the  wearing  of 
shoes  which  are  too  short  and  narrow,  and  by  the 
fact  that  at  the  first  sensation  of  pain  the  person 
so  afflicted  immediately  has  recourse  to  the  scis- 
sors and  cuts  the  nail  oft  short,  under  the  impres- 
sion that  the  pain  is  caused  by  the  length  of  the 
nail.  But  this  will  serve  to  give  only  temporary 
relief,  and  as  the  pressure  from  the  shoe  is  not  re- 
moved, the  flesh  is  pushed  still  farther  up  over 
the  rough  edge  of  the  nail,  causing  greater  pain 
than  before.  Again  the  scissors  are  called  into 
play,  but  this  time  at  the  side  of  the  nail,  which  is 
cut  again  and  again,  until  the  scissors  will  no 
longer  reach  the  part  of  the  nail  which  is  sup- 
posed to  cause  the  suffering. 

The  result  of  this  cutting  is  a  rough,  jagged 
edge  on  the  under  side  of  the  nail,  and  as  the  shoe 
is  still  crowding  the  already  sore  flesh  over  the 
edge,  the  patient  now  suffers  most  intense  pain. 
This  continued  irritation  increases  the  inflamma- 
tion, until  the  flesh  swells  up,  often  covering  half 
the  nail,  pus  forms,  and  proud  flesh  is  produced. 

The  pain  will  then  be  so  severe  that  the  shoe 
cannot  be  worn,  nor  the  weight  of  the  body  borne 
on  the  foot,  in  walking  or  standing ;  the  patient 


30  OUR   FEET 

is  now  compelled  to  cease  his  or  her  employment, 
rest  the  foot,  and  call  the  physician  or  surgeon  to 
his  aid. 

The  first  thing  to  do  in  attempting  to  cure  an 
ingrowing  toe-nail  is  to  find  just  how  far  the  nail 
has  grown  down  into  the  flesh  at  the  side,  by 
pushing  away  the  thick,  crowded  flesh — provided 
there  is  not  too  much  inflammation. 

Should  this  prove  too  painful,  or  the  surround- 
ing flesh  be  much  swollen,  a  poultice  of  ground 
slippery-elm  or  flaxseed  must  be  applied  before 
retiring,  and  kept  on  all  night.  In  the  morning 
remove  the  poultice,  bathe  the  foot  for  ten  or 
fifteen  minutes  in  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne, 
add  ten  drops  of  carbolic  acid,  sponging  the  toe 
thoroughly  to  remove  any  foreign  substance,  and 
then  gently  but  perfectly  dry  the  foot.  The  flesh 
will  then  be  found  in  a  very  soft  condition,  and 
the  inflammation  so  far  subsided  as  to  admit  of 
pushing  the  flesh  back  from  the  nail  with  a  dull 
instrument,  and  making  an  examination  into  the 
cause  of  the  trouble. 

Should  there  be  any  sharp  or  rough  edges,  a 
point,  or  even  a  fragment  of  projecting  nail,  these 
must  be  removed  with  a  knife  or  scissors,  after 
which  sponge  with  listerine.  The  edges  of  the 
nail  must  then  be  raised  sufficiently  to  allow  the 


Deformed  toes    and  Callosities  on  the  sole  ot    loot. 


OUR   FEET  31 

insertion,  between  that  and  the  sore  flesh  under- 
neath, of  a  small,  flat  piece  of  lint,  applying  at  the 
same  time  a  little  zinc  ointment  or  other  healing 
salve,  after  which  the  toe  should  be  bound  up 
with  a  piece  of  old  linen. 

This  treatment  must  be  faithfully  and  exactly 
repeated,  night  and  morning,  until  the  cure  is 
complete;  and  the  patient  must  wear  a  shoe  from 
which  the  leather  over  the  toe  has  been  removed. 
This  is  the  only  way  to  prevent  pressure  upon  the 
sore  spot;  and  if  it  is  subjected  to  any  pressure, 
proud  flesh  is  liable  to  appear.  A  wad  of  cotton 
batting  or  sponge  should  be  placed  between  the 
great  toe  and  the  second,  to  keep  them  from 
pressing  together,  thus  aiding  the  healing  process. 

Should  proud  flesh  set  in,  add  to  the  bath  for 
the  foot  a  little  carbolic  acid,  in  the  proportion  of 
half  a  teaspoonful  to  a  pint  of  water,  and  wash 
carefully  the  parts  afl'ected,  drying  the  foot  well ; 
after  which  sprinkle  a  little  burnt  alum  on  the 
proud  flesh.  This  is  entirely  painless,  and  will 
consume  all  the  proud  flesh  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days. 

As  this  trouble  is  usually  caused  by  wearing 
shoes  that  are  too  short,  too  flat,  or  too  narrow,  it 
will  surely  return  unless  proper  shoes  are  at  once 
procured  and  worn. 


32  OUR   FEET 

There  is  still  another  method  of  treating  this 
disease,  but  happily  it  is  only  used  occasionally  by 
certain  physicians  and  surgeons,  though  formerly 
it  was  the  only  method  known  which  would  effect 
a  cure. 

The  half  or  whole  nail  causing  the  trouble  was 
entirely  removed,  after  putting  the  patient  under 
the  influence  of  chloroform  or  ether,  by  pulling  it 
entirely  out  from  the  flesh  with  a  pair  of  forceps. 
This  torture  and  its  consequences  confined  the 
patient  to  the  house  for  a  number  of  weeks,  or 
until  the  inflammation  had  subsided.  Even  this, 
in  a  great  many  instances,  did  not  serve  to  prevent 
a  return  of  the  trouble,  as  after  the  cure  had  been 
effected  at  such  an  immense  sacrifice,  the  victims, 
through  either  ignorance  or  carelessness,  returned 
to  their  old  habits  of  wearing  ill-fitting  shoes. 

My  advice  to  all  persons  afllicted  with  ingrow- 
ing toe-nails,  or  who  have  had  them  treated  but 
without  succeeding  in  effecting  a  cure,  is  to  pro- 
cure at  once  shoes  of  sufficient  length,  breadth,  and 
fullness  of  upper  to  allow  plenty  of  room  for  the 
toes,  and  especially  for  the  great  toe,  and  follow 
the  treatment  heretofore  described  carefully.  If 
this  advice  is  acted  upon  a  cure  will  certainly  fol- 
low^ in  a  reasonable  length  of  time. 


OUR   FEET  2,Z 

THE  CLUB  NAIL. 

The  Club  Nail  is  usually  caused  by  acci- 
dent, or  the  pressure  of  a  shoe  which  is  too  short, 
or  not  full  enough  in  the  upper.  The  nails  grow 
very  thick  and  brittle,  sometimes  becoming  as 
hard  as  bone,  and  enlarging  to  an  unnatural 
height  and  length.  While  they  are  anything  but 
beautiful,  it  is  seldom  that  they  are  painful,  until 
they  grow  high  enough  to  cause  the  shoe  to  press 
the  nail  into  the  delicate  nerves  underneath ;  then 
they  are  a  source  of  constant  misery  until  cared 
for  properly. 

On  account  of  the  great  thickness  and  hardness 
of  the  club  nail,  the  easiest  and  best  way  to  pre- 
vent its  becoming  a  source  of  annoyance  is  to  use 
a  pair  of  regular  nail  clippers,  or  a  fine  rasp,  first 
soaking  the  foot  in  hot  water  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes.  After  drying,  apply  to  the  nail  to  be 
cut  some  spirits  of  ammonia  diluted,  as  this  will 
serve  to  soften  the  nail  and  permit  of  easy  manipu- 
lation. After  this  preparation  the  next  step  is  to 
clip  ofi["  the  excess  of  nail,  in  as  small  pieces  as 
jx)ssible,  in  order  to  avoid  injuring  the  base  of  the 
nail,  or  the  metrix.  Should  the  rasp  be  used  in- 
stead of  the  clippers,  file  the  nail  as  gently  as 
possible.      When    the    operation    is    completed, 


34  OUR    FEET 

anoint  the  whole  toe  with  carbolated  vaseHne  or 
any  healing  salve. 

HAMMER  TOE. 

Hammer  toe  is  a  deformity  usually  observed  in 
the  second  toe.  This  member  is  acutely  flexed  at 
its  second  joint,  so  that  w4ien  the  foot  is  planted 
on  the  ground  in  walking,  the  tip  of  the  toe  rests 
on  the  surface.  The  second  joint  is  prominent 
and  frequently  projects  upward  above  the  rest  of 
the  toes.  This  prominence  is  pressed  upon  by  the 
shoe  and  a  hard  corn  is  produced. 

This  deformity  is  produced  by  a  shortening  of 
the  tendons  that  run  along  the  under  surface  of 
the  toe  (the  flexor  tendons)  and  a  corresponding 
elongation  of  the  extensor  tendons. 

The  treatment  consists  of  massage  and  forcible 
straightening  of  the  part  every  day,  combined 
with  the  wearing  of  a  splint  between  the  periods 
of  treatment.  To  be  effectual,  this  treatment  must 
be  skillfully  performed  and  faithfully  carried  out. 
If  it  is  unsuccessful  after  a  reasonable  period  of 
trial,  your  physician  or  a  specialist  should  be  con- 
sulted. 

If  a  hard  corn  is  present,  it  should  be  treated  in 
accordance  with  the  methods  outlined  in  chapter 
two. 


Hammer  toe  with  corn  on  joint. 


OUR   FEET  35 


BUNIONS,  DISLOCATED  AND 
ENLARGED  JOINTS 

All  Three  Popularly  Called  Bunions — Cause  of  Bunions 
— Relief — Useless  to  Treat  unless  Proper  Shoes 
are  Worn — Enlarged  Joints  Explained — Their 
Treatment — Dislocated  Joints — Their  Care. 


NY  enlargement  of  the  tlesh  covering  the 
joints  at  the  base  of  the  great  and  little 
toes  is  popularly  termed  a  bunion ;  but 
this  is  a  great  mistake,  as  there  are 
three  distinct  diseases  of  these  joints,  almost  pre- 
cisely simiilar  in  appearance,  and  due  to  exactly 
the  same  cause  or  causes,  but  which  require  three 
different  forms  of  treatment.  A  person  may 
have  one,  two,  or  even  three  of  these  diseases  at 
the  same  time  and  in  the  same  joint,  but  the  ap- 
pearance would  be  similar  to  a  bunion. 

These  diseases  are  bunions,  dislocated  joints, 
and  enlarged  joints,  and  all  are  primarily  due  to 
the  wearing  of  ill-fitting  shoes,  rheiuiiatic  gout, 
or  accidental  injurv. 


^6  OUR    FEET 

A  bunion  is  an  inflammation  of  the  bursa  sit- 
uated over  the  metatarso-phalangeal  joint  of  the 
great  toe  or  the  fifth  toe.  This  bursa  is  a  little 
subcutaneous  sac  containing  just  enough  glairy 
fluid  to  lubricate  its  walls,  and  is  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  bone  and  joint.  Constant  pressure 
causes  inflammation  of  the  bursa  or  bursitis  with 
the  attendant  symptoms  of  redness,  swelling,  pain 
and  heat. 

The  pain  and  swelling  in  a  true  bunion  appears 
at  intervals  of  from  two  to  four  days  or  longer, 
and  persists  for  a  variable  period.  Each  recur- 
ring attack  is  usually  worse  than  the  preceding 
ones.  As  the  bunion  enlarges,  the  pressure  and 
irritation  on  its  surface  increase,  and  small,  hard 
corns  are  produced,  as  described  in  Chapter  II. 
If  troublesome,  these  should  be  treated  as  de- 
scribed in  that  chapter.  The  bunion  frequently 
resists  all  attempts  to  cure  it  until  abscess  forma- 
tion takes  place,  when  the  healing  of  the  abscess 
obliterates  the  sac  and  thus  removes  '  the  chief 
causative  factor  of  the  disease. 

The  bunion  proper  is  caused  locally  by  the 
swelling  of  the  flesh  covering  the  joint  at  the  base 
of  the  great  or  little  toes.  I  have  seen  some  cases 
where  both  joints  were  afifected  on  the  same  foot. 
The  constant  pressure  of  the  shoe  when  walking, 


Large  bunion  with  distorted  toe. 


OUR   FEET  37 

if  either  too  short,  too  narrow,  or  too  loose  in  the 
instep,  so  as  to  cause  the  toes  to  press  forward 
into  the  tip  of  the  shoe,  causes  pain  as  well  as 
swelling,  and  the  part  affected  becomes  red  and 
inflamed.  This  pain,  as  well  as  the  inflamed  ap- 
pearance, comes  and  goes  at  intervals  of  from 
two  to  four  days'  duration,  and  sometimes  even 
longer ;  but  each  time,  as  the  pain  returns,  it  be- 
comes more  severe,  and  the  swelling  increases ; 
the  pores  on  its  surface  begin  to  close,  and  a  hard, 
thick  skin,  studded  with  little  hard  corns  about 
the  size  of  a  pin-head  or  larger,  covers  the  bunion. 
These  little  points  or  grains  of  hard  substance 
press  down  into  the  skin  and  against  the  nerves 
underneath,  and  cause  exquisite  pain. 

The  dislocated  joint  can  be  cured,  the  enlarged 
joint  greatly  reduced,  but  the  bunion  proper  can 
be  only  relieved  of  pain  from  time  to  time  by 
proper  treatment  or  an  operation  by  a  skillful  sur- 
geon. 

In  order  to  obtain  this  relief,  soak  the  foot  in 
a  bath  of  hot  water,  keeping  the  temperature  up 
by  adding  boiling  water  from  time  to  time,  from 
fifteen  to  thirty  minutes,  in  order  to  draw  out  as 
much  inflammation  as  possible.  Dry  the  foot 
thoroughly,  and  if  there  be  any  callosities,  or 
small  hard  corns,  remove  them  with  the  point  of  a 


38  OUR    FEET 

knife,  but  do  not  cause  the  part  to  bleed,  or  even 
irritate  it  much.  If,  after  the  above  treatment, 
the  surface  of  the  swelling  is  rough,  reduce  it  by 
the  judicious  use  of  a  piece  of  fine  emery  paper 
or  a  fine  file. 

Then  rub  well  into  the  joint  with  the  palm  of 
the  hand,  for  about  ten  minutes.  Dr.  Kahler's 
salve,  and  spread  some  of  it  on  a  piece  of  old 
linen  and  apply  it  to  the  bunion.  Bandage  the 
foot  with  a  strip  of  old  linen,  and  draw  over  it  a 
thin  white  sock  or  stocking.  Should  it  be  desira- 
ble or  necessary  to  wear  a  shoe,  an  old  one  must 
be  procured  and  substituted  for  the  regular  foot- 
wear, and  all  that  part  which  would  be  liable  to 
press  on  the  seat  of  the  trouble  must  be  cut  away. 
It  would  be  well,  however,  to  rest  the  foot  as 
much  as  possible  for  the  first  few  days.  A  washer 
of  buckskin  or  chamois,  good  thickness,  with  an 
aperture  a  little  larger  than  the  bunion,  will  aid 
in  keeping  pressure  from  the  sore  spot. 

This  treatment  must  be  repeated  night  and 
morning  until  the  pain  and  redness  have  entirely 
disappeared. 

Should  the  bunion  be  much  swollen  and  pain- 
ful to  the  touch,  and  present  symptoms  of  ulcera- 
tion under  the  skin,  use  hot  compresses  of  witch 
hazel  or  water  during  the  day  and  before  retiring 


Method  of  dressing-  bunions  and  inflamed  joints. 


OUR   FEET  39 

for  the  night.  In  the  morning  bathe  the  foot  in 
water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne;  any  callosities  or 
little  corns  can  then  be  easily  removed  with  the 
point  of  a  knife.  After  this  has  been  done,  apply 
carbolated  salve,  or  camphorated  ice,  on  a  piece  of 
old  linen,  bandaging  the  foot  as  heretofore  de- 
scribed. 

Should  the  inflammation  in  the  joints  affected 
refuse  to  yield  to  this  treatment,  the  family  physi- 
cian should  be  called,  as  the  trouble  is  probably 
due  to  some  other  cause. 

As  the  bunion  is  usually  caused  by  an  ill-fitting 
shoe  or  stockings,  and  as  a  return  to  the  use  of 
such  shoes  after  the  bunion  has  been  relieved  will 
be  sure  to  bring  back  the  trouble,  it  will  be  useless 
to  continue  this  treatment  unless  the  patient's 
mind  is  made  up  to  wear  shoes  for  comfort,  hav- 
ing room  for  five  toes  instead  of  for  only  two,  as 
is  the  fashion  at  present,  and  which  are  long 
enough  to  prevent  pressure  on  the  end  of  the 
great  toe. 

During  the  treatment  of  thousands  of  cases  of 
this  description,  in  seventy-five  out  of  every  hun- 
dred the  cause  could  be  traced  directly  to  the  shoe 
or  boot.  They  were  either  too  short,  flat  and 
narrow,  or  too  loose  in  the  instep  and  heel.  After 
treatment,  I  recommended  shoes  of  a  proper  size 


40  OUR    FEET 

at  once,  and  in  cases  where  my  advice  was  fol- 
lowed the  parties  experienced  permanent  relief, 
and  on  continued  wearing  of  these  shoes  the  size 
of  the  bullion  has  been  greatly  diminished. 

ENLARGED  TOIXTS. 

Enlarged  Joints  are  due  to  the  same  general 
causes  as  the  bunion,  but  are  entirely  dif- 
ferent in  nature.  The  same  treatment  can  be  ap- 
plied to  both. 

Sufferers  from  rheumatism  or  rheumatic  gout 
are  particularly  liable  to  attacks  of  this  nature; 
and  once  the  disease  is  established  in  the  joints  of 
the  feet,  it  can  never  be  entirely  eradicated,  but 
the  pain  can  be  relieved  and  the  size  of  the  joints 
somewhat  reduced  by  bathing  the  foot  thoroughly 
in  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne,  as  this  will  reduce 
the  inflammation,  besides  softening  the  chalky 
matter  deposited  in  the  joints. 

Elderly  persons,  and  those  in  delicate  health, 
should,  of  course,  consult  their  medical  attendants 
before  subjecting  themselves  to  any  treatment 
which  w^ould  be  liable  to  cause  them  to  catch  cold. 
But  healthy  persons  would  not  be  affected  by  this 
treatment,  other  than  to  attain  the  object  desired 
without  injury. 


Enlarged  and  dislocated  joint. 


OUR   FEET  41 

After  drying  the  foot  carefully,  rub  into  the 
joint  with  the  palm  of  the  hand  Dr.  Kahler's  salve 
or  vaseline,  or  anything  which  will  serve  to  lubri- 
cate the  joint  and  produce  a  reaction.  Massage 
and  work  the  joint  with  the  fingers  occasionally. 

Paint  the  affected  joint  once  every  week  with 
tincture  of  iodine,  but  do  not  use  this  if  there  is 
any  break  in  the  skin.  The  foot,  in  the  meantime, 
must  have  plenty  of  room  in  the  stocking  and 
shoe,  as  any  pressure  whatever  will  certainly 
cause  pain,  and  tend  to  increase  the  size  of  the 
joint. 

Sub-luxated  or  partially  dislocated  joints  occur 
principally  in  the  great  toe  at  its  junction  with 
the  first  metatarsal  bone.  This  deformity  is 
caused  by  the  pressure  of  the  shoes — particularly 
those  with  short  and  pointed  toes — deflecting  the 
toe  from  its  natural  position  inward.  The  toe  is 
kept  in  this  position  and  ultimately  the  ligament 
on  the  outer  side  of  the  joint  is  permanently  elon- 
gated by  the  constant  pulling  to  which  it  is  sub- 
jected, and  the  bones  are  no  longer  maintained  in 
their  normal  relations.  When  the  great  toe  is  thus 
affected  and  is  permanently  adducted  and  dis- 
placed toward  the  median  line,  the  condition  is 
known  as  hallux  valgus.  The  pressure  on  the 
head  of  the  metatarsal  bone  causes  it  to  enlarge. 


42  OUR    FEET 

and  in  some  cases  the  enlargement  is  very  marked. 
When  this  has  taken  place,  a  cure  cannot  be  ef- 
fected except  by  surgical  procedure.  Otherwise 
a  cure  may  be  expected  if  the  treatment  outlined 
below  is  faithfully  carried  out.  In  the  ordinary 
uncomplicated  partial  dislocation  of  the  joint, 
great  improvement  and  in  many  cases  a  cure  can 
be  looked  for  if  shoes  of  sufficient  length  and 
breadth  are  worn,  and  the  sub-luxated  joint  is 
treated  by  a  skilled  surgeon-chiropodist.  The 
shoe  m.ust  be  broad  enough  to  allow  the  toes  to 
lie  parallel  to  each  other,  and  not  crowded  to- 
gether in  an  unsightly,  painful  mass. 

DISLOCATED  JOINTS. 

Dislocated  Joints  are  of  very  common  oc- 
currence, and  are  often  mistaken  for  and  treated 
as  bunions.  They  are  caused  primarily  by  the 
present  fashionable  shape  of  shoe,  which  is  nar- 
row and  pointed,  with  very  high  heels.  The  foot 
being  crowded  into  the  toe  of  the  shoe  by  the 
weight  of  the  body,  and  the  toe  being  narrow  and 
pointed,  the  middle  toes  of  the  foot  are  crushed 
together,  and  the  joint  of  the  great  toe,  and  often 
of  the  little  toe,  forced  out  of  its  socket. 

Unlike  the  bunion  or  enlarged  joint,  this  trouble 


Corns  on  the  bunion  and  on  the  joint  of  the  toe. 


OUR    FEET  43 

can  be  cured  by  proper  treatment,  but  it  is  neces- 
sary to  state  here,  that  unless  it  is  taken  up  at  once 
and  the  cause  removed,  it  will  become  chronic  and 
incurable.  In  this  stage  of  the  injury,  the  joint 
discharges  its  lubricating  fluid  through  a  wound 
which  it  opens  for  itself  by  suppuration,  and 
finally  becomes  stiff.  Then  the  surgeon  must  be 
called  in  for  relief. 

So  delicate  and  sensitive  is  the  much-abused 
foot,  that  even  short  and  badly  shaped  stockings 
have  been  known  to  throw  the  joints  out  of  place. 

Whenever,  by  any  of  the  above  described 
causes,  a  joint  is  enlarged,  the  liability  to  the  for- 
mation of  a  bunion  is  increased  very  greatly,  and 
must  be  very  carefully  guarded  against  by  the 
use  of  proper  foot-wear.  Errors  are  frequently 
made  in  the  diagnosis  of  the  condition  present, 
and  treatment  for  one  condition  is  carried  out 
when  another  difficulty  is  present.  Treating  the 
enlarged  head  of  a  metatarsal  bone  as  a  bunion 
will  yield  only  barren  results,  and  the  patient  will 
be  dissatisfied.  First  be  sure  the  diagnosis  is  cor- 
rect and  then  pursue  the  treatment. 

To  cure  a  dislocated  joint,  first  draw  out  the 
local  inflammation  by  means  of  a  folded  linen 
handkerchief,  soaked  thoroughly  with  hot  water 
or  witch  hazel,  placed  over  the  swelling.     If  hot 


44  OUR    FEET 

water  is  used,  the  handkerchief  must  be  kept  wet 
continually  with  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne,  for 
two  or  three  hours.  If  witch  hazel  is  used  it 
would  be  well  to  heat  it. 

Dry  the  foot  thoroughly,  and  rub  the  joint 
briskly  with  linseed  oil,  or  vaseline,  to  lubricate 
it;  and  at  the  same  time,  take  a  firm  hold  of  the 
end  of  the  toe  affected,  and  work  the  joint  up  and 
down.  Pull  it  straight,  and  the  dislocated  joint 
will  then  easily  work  back  into  its  socket.  This 
must  be  repeated  every  day  until  all  soreness  dis- 
appears. 

In  the  meantime  the  foot  must  be  properly 
bandaged  with  old  linen,  or  a  regular  surgeon's 
bandage,  during  the  day,  but  the  bandage  can  be 
removed  at  night.  When  bandaged  it  must  be 
done  in  such  a  way  as  to  keep  the  toe  straight,  so 
that  the  joint  will  remain  properly  in  its  socket, 
until  the  ligaments,  or  bands,  become  strong 
enough  to  hold  it  in  its  place  unaided.  It  is  im- 
perative that  a  long  and  roomy  shoe  should  be 
worn,  fitting  well  through  instep  and  heel. 

Should,  however,  there  be  any  discharge  or 
suppuration  from  the  joint,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  giA^e  the  foot  entire  rest,  as  walking  will  in- 
crease the  inflammation. 

The  wound  should  be  carefully  washed  with 


Showing  a  foot  having  bunion,  enlarged  and 
dislocated  joint  at  the  same  time. 


OUR   FEET  45 

warm  water,  adding  a  few  drops  of  a  solution  of 
carbolic  acid,  or  any  other  antiseptic,  morning  and 
night,  and  the  joint  bandaged  as  heretofore  de- 
scribed. 


46  OUR    FEET 


Ctiaptrr  ^rbm 
FLAT  FEET 

How  Caused — Frequency  of  Occurrences — Shoes  That 
Cause  this  Trouble — Prevention — Relief — Wear 
Arch  Supporters. 


HE  flat-foot,  or  "  splaw "  foot,  as  it  is 
sometimes  called,  is  common  in  both 
sexes  and  at  all  ages.  It  is  not  common 
in  very  young  children,  because  they 
have  not  learned  to  walk.  The  most  important 
causative  factor  in  the  production  of  flat-foot  is 
the  excessive  and  prolonged  use  of  the  feet  in 
standing  or  walking.  It  is  more  common  in  heavy 
persons,  and  in  those  who  are  in  a  weakened  gen- 
eral condition.  Fleshy  people,  therefore,  on  ac- 
count of  their  weight,  and  the  poorer  classes,  on 
account  of  deficient  nutrition,  are  most  frequently 
affected.  After  exhausting  diseases  with  their 
enforced  sojourn  in  bed,  the  ligaments  of  the  plan- 
tar arch  are  weak  and  relaxed  from  disuse  and 
are  prone  to  give  way  during  convalescence  if 


Showing  the  foot  with  a  perfect  arch 


OUR    FEET  47 

walking  is  indulged  in  too  much,  particularly  if 
slippers  or  low  shoes,  which  afford  no  support  to 
the  feet,  are  worn.  Children  who  are  taught  to 
walk  too  early  in  life,  often  develop  flat-foot,  to- 
gether with  weak  ankles  and  bow-legs. 

The  ligaments  and  structures  which  support  the 
arch  of  the  foot  and  furnish  its  elasticity,  become 
relaxed  and  inelastic,  and  the  arch  gives  way  as  a 
bow  straightens  out  when  the  bow-string  is  cut. 
The  springiness  of  the  normal  foot  is  lost,  and 
walking  or  standing  causes  severe  pain,  as  well  as 
that  tired  feeling.  If  treatment  is  not  instituted 
in  time,  the  parts  seldom  regain  their  normal  tone 
and  the  result  will  be  an  incurable  flat-foot,  with 
the  ungraceful  shuffling  gait  peculiar  to  this  de- 
formity. A  foot  so  affficted  is  generally  turned 
outward  to  a  marked  degree,  and  in  walking  the 
outside  of  the  foot  is  planted  on  the  ground  first, 
rather  than  the  heel. 

IDuring  its  onset,  in  fact  until  all  the  parts  are 
thoroughly  accustomed  to  their  abnormal  position, 
the  pain  occasioned  by  this  trouble  is  severe.  The 
patient  generally  thinks  he  has  rheumatism  in  his 
ankles  and  not  infrequently  takes  patent  medi- 
cines in  unlimited  quantities  to  cure  his  supposed 
rheumatism.  Standing  causes  severe  pain,  and 
walking  becomes  a  laborious  effort.     Upon  ex- 


48  OUR    FEET 

amination  at  this  stage,  no  redness  or  swelling  is 
discovered  and  to  the  untrained  eye  no  deformity 
is  visible.  Later  in  the  disease  the  normal  convex 
surface  of  the  instep  is  noticeably  flattened,  and 
the  contour  of  the  plantar  surface  or  sole  of  the 
foot  is  much  changed.  The  changes  in  the  plantar 
surface  may  be  well  seen  by  wetting  the  sole  of  the 
foot,  stepping  on  a  plane  surface  and  observing 
the  resulting  impression.  A  normal  foot  leaves  a 
round  impression  where  the  heel  rested ;  an  oblong 
or  kidney  shaped  one  representing  the  ball  of  the 
foot  and  Ave  small  ones  for  the  toes ;  while  a 
flat-foot  leaves  one  large  imprint  representing  the 
entire  plantar  surface.  Flat  feet  in  both  sexes 
are  becoming  more  and  more  common.  In  chil- 
dren it  is  comparatively  easy  to  cure  flat-foot  un- 
less the  deformity  is  very  marked,  and  in  adults, 
beneficial  results  may  be  obtained  by  recognizing 
the  condition  early  and  promptly  resorting  to 
scientific  treatment.  The  ordinary  shoe,  particu- 
larly shoes  with  high  heels  and  poorly  made,  not 
only  tend  to  cause  flat-foot,  but  when  it  is  once 
started  are  powerful  factors  in  aggravating  the 
condition.  The  flat-foot  placed  in  the  ordinary 
shoe  of  indifferent  fit  will  develop  corns  and  bun- 
ions in  the  most  surprisingly  prolific  manner,  thus 
adding  to  the  discomfort  of  the  suffering  patient. 


Showing  the  arch  ot  the  foot  when  broken  down. 


OUR   FEET  49 

When  taken  in  time,  flat  feet  can  be  prevented, 
especially  with  children ;  but  it  must  be  fully  un- 
derstood that  once  the  arch  of  the  foot  has  entire- 
ly broken  down,  it  is  rarely  if  ever  built  up  again. 

A  properly  shaped  shoe,  well  fitting,  is  really 
the  only  medicine  for  this  complaint ;  and  when  it 
first  makes  its  appearance  in  the  little  feet  of  chil- 
dren, spring-heeled  shoes,  with  extra  stiff  shanks 
and  broad  soles,  must  be  substituted  for  those 
worn  previously,  without  delay;  but  they  must 
fit  well  in  the  heel  and  over  the  instep,  in  order 
properly  to  support  the  arch  of  the  foot.  This  is 
a  prevention  and  a  remedy. 

Treatment  for  those  who  are  unfortunate 
enough  to  be  afflicted  with  flat  feet  should  be 
measured  by  a  careful  and  practical  shoemaker, 
and  should  have  their  shoes  made  with  broad 
soles,  broad  shanks  (almost  as  broad  as  the  soles, 
and  very  stiff)  and  with  long,  broad  heels,  about 
half  an  inch  high.  They  must,  of  course,  be  laced, 
and  should  fit  firmly  in  the  heel  and  over  the  in- 
step, with  plenty  of  room  for  the  ball  of  the  foot 
and  the  toes,  and  extra  long. 

It  would  be  advisable  to  procure  two  pairs  of 
shoes,  and  wear  them  alternately  each  day,  as  this 
relieves  the  feet,  and  ventilates  the  shoes,  besides 
being  really  more  economical  than  wearing  one 


50  OUR    FEET 

pair  steadily  until  worn  out,  and  then  procuring 
another  pair  to  be  used  in  the  same  manner. 

Arch  supporters  placed  inside  the  shoe  are  ex- 
cellent when  properly  made. 


f  C  (  V\'\  u 


V  I  r     f  V  V 


lA 


View  of  the  flat  foot  from  the  sole. 


OUR   FEET  SI 


Cljapter  CEigljt 

RHEUMATICS.  GOUT,  SPRAINS  AND 
CHILBLAINS 


Origin  of  Gout — Relief  for  the  Pain — Cause  and  Symp- 
toms of  Sprain — Treatment  to  be  Used — Chil- 
blains— Their  Cause — General  Treatment  and 
Cure. 


HEUMATISM  and  gout,  but  particularly 
the  former,  attack  all  the  joints,  and 
when  the  joints  of  the  toes  are  affected 
painful  results  follow. 
Rheumatism  likewise  produces  large  joints.  It 
is  a  systemic  disease  and,  like  gout,  must  be 
methodically  treated  by  a  physician  if  a  cure  is  to 
be  effected.  The  rheumatic  joint  condition  does 
not  exhibit  tophi,  is  less  painful  than  the  gouty 
manifestation,  and  is  not  so  frequently  confined 
to  the  great  toe. 

Gout  originates  in  the  blood,  and  generally 
manifests  itself  in  the  feet.  The  great  toe,  as  a 
rule,  is  first  affected ;  though  the  lieel  and  ball  of 


52  OUR   FEET 

the  foot  sometimes  has  the  swelHng  and  pain, 
which  gradually  extends  to  the  whole  foot.  This 
disease  usually  attacks  those  past  middle  life,  al- 
though instances  are  on  record  of  cases  in  quite 
young  persons ;  but  these  are  usually  combined 
with  rheumatism. 

The  exact  cause  of  gout  is  in  dispute,  and  it 
would  require  a  thorough  knowledge  of  anatomy 
and  hygiene  to  understand  the  different  theories ; 
so  I  will  not  burden  the  reader  with  details,  as 
gout  cannot  be  treated  successfully  except  by  a 
regular  physician  or  a  specialist. 

The  pain  attending  the  disease,  however,  can 
be  greatly  relieved  by  the  wearing  of  shoes  which 
have  been  properly  made,  with  abundance  of  room 
to  allow  for  the  unnatural  swelling  of  the  feet,  and 
with  thick  soles,  but  with  very  soft  and  pliable 
uppers,  made  of  either  fine  kid  or  buckskin. 

Those  afflicted  with  these  troubles  will  save 
themselves  much  misery  and  pain  by  having  two 
pairs  of  shoes  always  on  hand,  one  of  which  can 
be  worn  when  the  feet  are  not  swollen,  and  the 
other  of  a  larger  size  to  be  worn  when  the  feet  are 
puffed  up  and  very  painful.  A  good  but  tem- 
porary relief  from  the  severe  pain  is  a  foot-bath 
of  hot  Pond's  Extract  or  witch  hazel.  An  ex- 
cellent remedy  is  to  slip  a  thick  woolen  sock  over 


OUR    FEET  53 

the  foot,  tlien  bandage  with  oil  silk.  This  treat- 
ment will  give  great  relief.  Repeat  as  often  as 
necessary. 

RHEUMATIC  GOUT. 

Rheumatic  gout,  which  always  deposits  a  chalky 
substance  in  the  joints  of  both  fingers  and  toes, 
can  do  this  much  more  readily  when  the  shoe  has 
already  produced  irritation ;  and  deposits  such  a 
quantity  as  greatly  to  increase  the  thickness  of  the 
joint,  until  it  looks  very  much  like  an  aggravated 
bunion.  Hence  such  a  swelling  is  often  mistaken 
for  and  treated  as  a  bunion. 

SPRAINS. 

A  sprain  is  caused  by  violent  stretching  or 
wrenching  of  the  tendons  and  ligaments  control- 
ling the  various  movements  of  the  foot ;  and  in 
particularly  severe  cases  some  of  the  smaller 
blood-vessels  are  ruptured. 

After  an  accident  of  this  kind  the  foot  or  ankle 
rapidly  swells,  and  this  is  accompanied  by  severe 
heat  and  pain,  with  a  sensation  of  violent  throb- 
bing. The  slightest  movement,  or  the  weight  of 
the  body  thrown  upon  the  foot,  as  in  walking  or 
standing,  causes  excruciating  agony,  and  often 
occasions  nausea  and  even  fainting  spells. 


54  OUR   FEET 

When  any  of  the  Hganients  or  tendons  are 
broken,  or  any  of  the  small  blood-vessels  rup- 
tured, the  skm  over  the  sprain  becomes  black  and 
blue,  or  mottled  in  appearance. 

If  not  skillfully  treated  immediately  after  the 
accident,  particularly  when  the  patient  is  past  mid- 
dle age,  the  sprain  becomes  more  serious  than 
even  a  dislocation  or  a  fracture.  The  first  im- 
portant thing-  is  to  prevent  inflammation,  which 
may  be  done  by  placing  the  foot  in  a  horizontal 
position,  and  applying  over  the  sprain  a  folded 
cloth,  kept  soaked  with  water  as  hot  as  can  be 
borne. 

If  hot  water  cannot  be  had,  bathe  the  foot  in 
cold  water,  as  even  this  will  serve  to  keep  down 
the  swelling  until  a  physician  can  be  summoned. 

CHILBLAINS. 

Several  different  forms  of  disease  of  the  same 
general  character  have  been  commonly  known  un- 
der the  nam.e  of  chilblains ;  but  I  ^\■ill  not  give 
their  details  or  their  peculiar  symptoms,  but  will 
describe  and  prescribe  a  treatment  for  ordinary 
chilblains  only. 

When  any  part  of  the  foot  has  been  exposed  for 
a  considerable  length  of  time  to  continued  cold, 
which  is  not  quite  sufficient  to  cause  the  blood  to 


OUR   FEET  55 

congeal,  and  is  then  injudiciously  exposed  to  heat, 
chilblains  will  be  the  result. 

The  sensation,  at  first,  is  of  itching  and  burning, 
which  is  followed  by  a  continued  aching.  On  ex- 
amination the  parts  appear  red  and  somewhat 
swollen ;  if  it  is  a  severe  case,  the  swelling  is  great 
and  the  inflamed  parts  very  sensitive. 

Children  are  more  liable  to  this  trouble  than 
older  persons.  They  are  prone  to  run  to  the  fire 
the  minute  their  feet  become  cold,  and  often  loiter 
on  their  way  to  and  from  school  to  play  in  the 
snow:  and  a  good  soaking  in  slushy  water,  and 
one  session  in  a  warm  school-room,  will  produce 
a  severe  case  of  chilblains  sooner  than  any  other 
form  of  exposure.  Adults  often  contract  a 
severe  form  of  this  trouble  by  standing  over  a 
hot  register  after  having  ridden  for  some  time  in 
a  cold  car  or  carriage. 

As  there  are  so  many  forms  of  this  trouble,  it 
will  be  impossible  to  suggest  other  than  the  gen- 
eral principles  of  treatment,  which  must  be  modi- 
fied for  each  individual  case.  A  good  rule  is  to 
make  use  of  a  cold  substance,  without  the  applica- 
tion of  heat,  to  revive  a  proper  circulation  in  the 
parts  affected.  Hence,  the  shoes  and  stockings 
must  be  removed  in  a  cold  room,  without  delay, 
and  the  feet  rubbed  brisklv  with  snow  or  cold 


56  OUR    FEET 

water  and  the  palm  of  the  hand,  until  the  skin  re- 
sumes its  natural  glow  and  healthy  appearance. 

Should  the  trouble  be  of  long  standing,  or 
prove  unyielding  to  this  treatment,  follow  the 
above  directions,  and,  after  drying,  anoint  the 
parts  with  a  mild  liniment.  (Found  in  Chapter 
XI.)  Wash  the  feet  affected  with  ichthyol  soap, 
5  per  cent.,  morning  and  evening.  After  the  bath 
use  hydrochloric  acid  diluted  lo  per  cent.,  by 
sponging  the  parts  affected. 

I  would  advise  all  persons  who  are  troubled 
with  chilblains  to  wear  good  roomy  shoes,  to  allow 
for  swelling,  as  pressure  will  greatly  aggravate 
the  difficulty,  and  will  make  absolute  cure  im- 
possible. 


OUR   FEET  57 


Ctjapttr  ipine 

DISEASES  OF  THE  PERSPiRATlON, 
AND  COLD  FEET 

Fetid  Odors — A  Sure  Cure — Cracking  of  Skin  between 
the  Toes — Treatment — Lack  of  Perspiration — Re- 
lief— Cold  Feet — Aids  to  Defective  Circulation. 

HEN  feet  throw  off  a  bad  odor,  it  is  due 
to  a  chronic  excess  of  perspiration, 
which  scalds  the  skin,  and  finally 
causes  the  pores  to  become  diseased. 
This  is  not  due  to  any  lack  of  cleanliness,  as  some 
suppose,  but  to  a  weak  condition  of  the  skin  of 
the  feet,  aggravated  by  being  constantly  covered 
with  leather  shoes,  lacking  proper  ventilation.  In- 
attention to  -this  disease  will  permit  it  to  become 
very  disagreeable  to  any  one  compelled  to  remain 
in  the  same  room  with  the  person  afflicted ;  hence 
it  is  the  cause  of  much  mortification  to  its  victims. 
As  the  means  of  getting  rid  of  this  trouble  are 
very  simple  and  inexpensive,  ignorance  is  the  only 
possible  excuse  for  any  one  who  permits  the  odor 


58  OUR    FEET 

from  his  feet  to  annoy  himself  or  his  neighbors. 
I  give  the  treatment  which  has  yet  to  fail,  during 
many  years  of  practice. 

i3athe  the  feet  in  warm  or  cold  water,  which- 
ever you  are  accustomed  to  use,  for  about  ten 
minutes,  morning  and  evening,  adding  to  the 
water,  in  wdiich  no  soap  or  soap  powder  can  be 
used,  sulphuric  acid,  in  the  proportion  of  one  tea- 
spoonful  to  a  quart  of  water  before  placing  the 
feet  in  the  bath.  The  mixture  will  be  milky  in 
appearance. 

O;^" .  [Be  very  careful  in  handling  sulphuric 
acid ;  the  common  name  for  it  is  "  vitriol,"  and 
it  will  burn  anything  with  which  it  comes  in  con- 
tact, be  it  clothing  or  flesh,  just  as  badly  as  though 
it  w^ere  red-hot  iron.  Keep  beyond  the  reach  of 
children.  In  the  foot-bath  given,  however,  the 
quantity  is  very  small,  and  its  dangerous  power  is 
neutralized  by  the  large  quantity  of  water.] 

This  bath  should  be  continued  as  directed  every 
day  for  one  week.  Should  the  trouble  return,  re- 
peat the  treatment  for  another  week,  when  the 
cure  should  be  complete.  Should  this  treatment 
fail  in  accomplishing  the  desired  efifect,  the  physi- 
cian should  be  consulted,  as  the  disease  is  probably 
complicated  with  some  general  disorder  of  the 
blood. 


OUR    FEET  59 

Perspiration  will  often  cause  the  cracking  or 
splitting  of  the  skin  between  the  toes.  This  is  ex- 
ceedingly painful,  as  the  cracks  often  extend  all 
the  way  around  the  base  of  the  toe,  underneath. 
The  cause  is  an  acid  state  of  the  perspiration,  or 
the  continued  neglect  of  the  ordinary  foot-bath. 

Castile  soap  and  warm  water,  followed  by 
thorough  drying,  will  often  work  wonders;  but 
should  much  moisture  appear  between  the  toes, 
after  drying,  dust  carefully  with  a  little  French 
chalk,  starch,  or  talcum  powder,  first  applying  a 
small  quantity  of  tincture  of  myrrh  to  the  most 
severe  cracks. 

The  lack  of  perspiration  will  cause  a  dry  and 
burning  sensation  in  the  feet,  and  is  due  to  a  dis- 
turbance of  the  general  health,  not  to  any  local 
disorder.  Dyspepsia  and  kindred  ailments,  as  well 
as  rheumatism  and  gout,  will  almost  invariably 
cause  this  condition  of  the  feet. 

To  relieve  it,  a  foot-bath  of  tepid  water,  into 
which  a  tablespoonful  of  powdered  borax  can  be 
used  morning  and  evening  with  excellent  efifect, 
especially  after  a  walk.  Bicarbonate  of  potash 
dissolved  in  a  foot-bath  has  also  been  found  very 
beneficial. 

Persons  who  are  troubled  with  cold  feet  should 
bathe  them  in  cold  water  for  about  five  minutes  on 


6o  •  OUR    FEET 

arising  in  the  morning,  and  rub  them  briskly  with 
a  rough  towel  until  the  skin  shows  a  bright  health- 
ly  glow.  This  keeps  the  circulation  in  perfect  or- 
der, and  can  be  repeated  in  the  evening  with 
marked  benefit. 

During  the  day  two  pairs  of  stockings  should 
be  worn.  The  pair  worn  next  the  skin  must  be 
thin  and  white,  but  the  outside  pair  can  be  cotton, 
woolen  or  silk  of  any  color.  The  white  need 
come  only  as  far  as  the  ankle.  Felt  or  chamois 
should  be  worn  inside  the  shoe,  where  possible, 
as  this  will  serve  to  absorb  the  dampness,  and 
keep  the  cold  from  striking  into  the  feet. 

Cold  and  ''  clammy  "  feet  are  indicative  of  gen- 
eral debility,  and  but  little  benefit  can  be  derived 
from  external  applications  or  treatment.  But 
spirits  of  camphor,  or  bay  rum,  mixed  with  half 
its  quantity  of  glycerine,  will  prove  of  benefit  as 
an  aid  to  establish  a  good  circulation.  Rub  the 
feet  thoroughly  after  each  application,  and  follow 
the  foregoing  instructions  regarding  stockings 
carefully. 

The  shoes  should  of  course  be  of  good  width 
and  length,  and  have  heavy  soles. 

The  cause  of  this  clammy  condition  of  the  feet 
should  be  ascertained  and  treated  by  a  physician. 
Our  suggestions  are  designed  simply  to  mitigate 
its  effects. 


OUR   FEET  6 1 


Clwpter  ®m 

HOW  TO  BATHE  AND  DRESS  THE 
.       FEET 

Should  be  Bathed  in  the  Evening  and  Morning — In 
Salt  Water — Prescription  for  Brine — Hot  or  Cold 
Foot-Bath — Foot-Gear  for  Children — Stockings — 
Shoes — Effect  of  Foot-Clothing  on  Health — Bound 
Feet  of  Chinese  Women — The  Proper  Shoe. 

HE  evening,  before  retiring,  is  without 
doubt  the  time  to  bathe  the  feet,  which 
have  been  in  motion  all  day  during  the 
hours  of  business,  and  exposed  to  all 
sorts  of  weather,  and  are  consequently  much 
fatigued.  The  bath  will  remove  all  aches  and 
tired  feelings,  and  the  sleep  will  be  sweet  and  re- 
freshing. 

As  not  everyone  understands  how  to  bathe  the 
feet  so  as  to  obtain  the  best  results,  I  give  a  few 
instructions,  which,  if  followed  carefully,  will  not 
fail  to  relieve  even  the  sorest  feet,  where  the  sore- 
ness is  due  to  fatigue. 


62  OUR    FEET 

Add  to  the  water  for  the  foot-bath — which 
should  be  warm — brine  in  the  proportion  of  one 
cupful  to  a  quart  of  water,  and  soak  the  feet  in 
this  for  about  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  scrubbing 
them  well  with  a  stiff  nail-brush  all  over.  This 
wdll  remove  any  dead  cuticle,  and  cleanse  the  pores 
of  the  skin  thoroughly.  It  also  keeps  the  skin  in 
a  vigorous  and  healthy  condition,  and  often  pre- 
vents the  formation  of  callous  spots  and  even 
corns,  and  is  especially  beneficial  to  the  feet  of 
children.  Any  callosities  on  the  soles  or  heels 
should  be  reduced  with  a  piece  of  fine  emery 
paper,  or  a  fine  file,  before  placing  the  feet  in  the 
water. 

As  considerable  time  can  be  saved  by  keeping 
the  brine  for  this  bath  on  hand,  it  will  be  well  to 
have  the  recipe.  The  best  is  made  in  this  way : 
Dissolve  one  pint  of  sea-salt  in  two  quarts  of 
water,  pour  it  into  a  covered  jar  or  bottle,  and 
allows  it  to  stand  for  twenty-four  hours  before 
using.  Some  of  the  salt  will  not  dissolve,  and 
when  some  of  the  brine  has  been  used,  the  bottle 
may  be  filled  with  clear  water,  repeating  this 
process  until  all  the  salt  is  gone  from  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel,  when  a  new  supply  must  be  made. 

The  advisability  of  using  the  foot-bath  hot  or 
cold  must  -depend  entirely  on  the  previous  habits 


A  perfect  baby's  foot. 


A  well-shaped  child's  foot. 


OUR   FEET  63 

and  constitution  of  the  individual.  Cold  water 
will  be  too  much  of  a  shock  to  some ;  too  much 
hot  water  is  weakening;  therefore  tepid  water  is 
preferable  for  the  use  of  persons  advanced  in 
years,  or  in  delicate  health.  Those  who  are  sub- 
ject to  gout,  rheumatism  and  kindred  ailments, 
when  actually  suffering  from  any  of  these  mala- 
dies, should  sponge  their  feet,  as  any  sudden 
change  in  temperature  will  often  produce  serious 
results. 

Persons  past  middle  life  will  run  no  risks,  if, 
instead  of  bathing  their  feet,  they  will  sponge 
them  off  with  tepid  water,  drying  them  thorough- 
ly, especially  between  the  toes. 

Too  little  attention  is  paid  by  mothers  to  the 
kind  of  shoes  or  stockings  put  upon  the  growing 
feet  of  their  children.  During  the  process  of  de- 
velopment it  is  very  important  that  the  minor 
details  should  be  carefully  looked  after,  as  many 
of  the  corns,  bunions,  and  ingrowing  toe-nails 
with  which  the  people  of  this  generation  suffer 
are  due  to  the  careless  treatment  of  their  feet  dur- 
ing childhood. 

Stockings  with  as  few  seams  as  possible,  and 
with  plenty  of  room  for  all  the  toes,  should  be 
provided  for  children;  as  seams  cause  corns,  and 
a  stocking  that  is  too  short  is  just  as  bad  as  a  shoe 


64  OUR    FEET 

with  the  same  faiUt,  and  much  miser}-  and  annoy- 
ance will  surely  result  in  after  years  from  their 
continued  use. 

Colored  stockings  are  a  source  of  danger  to 
those  who  have  thin  or  sensitive  skin,  and  should 
not  be  worn  when  the  feet  are  inflamed  or  the  skin 
broken,  or  when  they  have  been  frost-bitten. 
Stockings  with  white  feet  to  the  instep  are  just 
as  good  as  those  that  are  entirely  white. 

There  are  stockings  manufactured  to-day  with 
a  right  and  a  left  to  the  pair.  I  most  heartily  rec- 
ommend them  to  all  my  readers  and  patients,  as 
they  are  certainly  the  stockings  to  wear. 

The  subject  of  children's  shoes  cannot  be 
treated  too  carefully,  for  parents  who  will  incur 
any  expense  and  take  the  utmost  pains  to  give 
their  children  comfort,  often  overlook  through 
ignorance  or  carelessness  the  needs  of  the  tender 
and  growing  feet,  and  buy  shoes  which  are  not 
only  too  short  and  narrow,  but  ill-fitting  in  every 
part. 

We  need  shoes  for  precisely  the  same  reason 
that  we  wear  clothes  on  other  parts  of  our  bodies ; 
namely,  that  we  may  be  protected  from  injurious 
external  influences.  The  influences  from  which 
we  desire  to  be  protected  are.  roughness  of  the 
ground,  and  cold  and  wet.     A\'hen  the  roughness 


OUR    FEET  65 

of  the  ground  only  is  to  be  provided  against,  the 
sandal  consisting  of  a  sole  of  stiff  leather  or  wood, 
fastened  by  thongs  or  bands  so  as  completely  to 
cover  the  under  part  of  the  foot  is  sufficient. 

But  if  protection  from  cold  and  wet  be  also  de- 
sired, the  sole  has  generally  added  to  it  a  covering 
for  the  whole  foot  and  ankle.  This  covering  may 
be  made  of  various  materials,  but  usually  consists 
of  soft  leather.  When  thus  combined  with  the 
sole,  the  upper  leather  further  serves  to  keep  the 
sole  firmly  fixed  under  the  foot,  and  thus  does 
away  with  the  need  of  bands  and  thongs ;  such 
combinations  of  upper  leather  and  sole  are  called 
boots,  shoes  or  foot-wear. 

A  covering  for  the  foot  has,  however,  to  fulfill 
this  object  in  a  manner  that  will  give  rise  to  no 
disadvantage,  the  existence  of  which  would  essen- 
tially diminish  the  benefits  of  protection.  The 
remedy  might,  in  this  case,  be  worse  than  the  evil. 
Here,  however,  fashion,  so  unfortunately  involved 
in  all  our  clothing  relations,  steps  in  and  must 
even  have  her  say  on  the  shape  of  the  shoe.  So 
long  as  her  influence  is  confined  to  the  cut  and 
amplitude  of  the  coat,  the  form,  and  of  the  hat, 
and  the  like,  the  only  harm  that  occurs  is  the  pos- 
sible production  of  a  somewhat  ludicrous  effect. 

It  signifies  little,  so  far  as  health  is  concerned. 


66  OUR    FEET 

whether  a  man  wears  a  gray  or  a  brown  coat,  but 
it  is  of  much  importance  whether  the  shoe  he 
wears  be  broad  or  narrow,  rounded  or  pointed, 
long  or  short. 

The  shape  of  the  shoe  has  too  much  an  effect 
on  health  and  comfort  to  be  left  to  the  dictates 
of  fashion. 

The  influence  of  fashion  on  the  shape  of  the 
shoe  produces  the  most  baneful  effect  on  the 
mechanism  of  the  foot  and  on  its  soundness,  thus 
materially  affecting  motion,  and  our  consequent 
ability  to  take  a  sufficient  amount  of  open  air  ex- 
ercise. 

It  is  quite  clear  that  the  foot  must  enter  the 
shoe,  and  if  the  shoe  difl'ers  in  shape  from  the  foot, 
it  is  no  less  plain  that  the  foot,  being  the  more 
pliable,  must  necessarily  adapt  itself  to  the  shape 
of  the  shoe.  If  then,  fashion  prescribes  an  arbi- 
trary form  of  shoe,  she  goes  far  beyond  her 
province,  and  in  reality  arrogates  to  herself  the 
right  of  determining  the  shape  of  the  foot,  but  the 
foot  is  a  part  of  the  body  and  should  not  be 
changed  by  fashion ;  for  the  body  is  a  gift,  and 
its  several  parts  are  beautifully  adapted  for  the 
purposes  for  which  they  were  intended. 

We  do  not,  ideed,  at  first  sight,  fully  perceive 
the  arrogant  absurdity  of  which  fashion  is  guilty 


OUR    FEET  67 

in  going  so  far  as  to  determine  the  shape  of  our 
feet,  because  we  are  not  aUve  to  the  fact  that  the 
case  is  peculiar  to  the  feet.  We  only  see  it  in- 
fluencing the  shape  of  the  shoe,  and  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  may  regulate  this  as  well  as  the 
cut  of  the  coat. 

To  this  prevalent  opinion  we  yield,  regardless  of 
the  influence  on  the  shape  of  the  shoe,  and  thereby 
on  the  foot.  As  well,  indeed,  might  fashion  one 
day  come  to  the  conclusion  that  fingers  are  inele- 
gant, and  decree  that  henceforth  the  hand  be 
squeezed  into  a  conical  leather  bag;  as  well,  in- 
deed might  she  in  one  of  her  freaks  forbid  the 
display  of  our  arms  and  bind  them  firmly  to  our 
bodies  like  those  of  children  in  swaddling  clothes. 

The  shoe  should  protect  the  foot,  but  it  has  no 
business  to  distort  its  shape. 

A  shoe  which  will  really  be  a  help  to  walking 
and  not,  as  is  too  often  the  case,  a  hindrance, 
should  conform  to  the  shape  of  the  foot,  and  thus 
miist  accordingly  first  occupy  our  attention. 

Since  the  feet  of  a  child  are  actually  in  pro- 
cess of  development,  the  bones  and  ligaments  are 
soft  and  pliable,  and  will  conform  to  a  bad  as  well 
as  to  a  properly  shaped  shoe.  Hence  it  is  far 
better  to  buy  shoes  of  sufficient  length  and 
breadth,  with  snug  heels  and  close-fitting  instep. 


68  OUR    FEET 

which  alone  can  make  it  possible  for  the  child  to 
grow  up  with  perfect  feet.  Harsh,  but  just,  was 
the  remark  of  a  young  girl  to  her  mother :  ''  You 
made  me  wear  such  narrow  and  short  shoes  that 
1  shall  have  sore  feet  all  my  life." 

The  feet  of  a  child  can  be  compared  to  a  young- 
tree,  which  can  be  made  to  grow  straight  or 
crooked.  Which  it  shall  be  is  decided  by  the 
parents.  It  is  most  important  that  the  feet  should 
be  retained  in  the  form  in  which  they  were 
created. 

That  the  fit  of  the  clothing  for  the  feet  has  a 
great  influence  on  the  general  health  is  apparent; 
and  when,  as  is  usually  the  case,  the  foot-clothing 
does  not  conform  to  the  size  and  natural  shape  of 
the  feet,  those  members,  being  more  pliable  than 
the  shoes,  to  conform  to  the  mold  into  which  they 
are  forced;  and,  the  joints  being  thrust  out  of 
place,  friction  and  pressure  cause  inflammation, 
and  all  sorts  of  diseases  of  the  feet  are  the  inevita- 
ble result. 

An  example  of  the  extreme  pliability  of  the 
feet  is  seen  in  the  case  of  Chinese  women  of  the 
upper  classes,  whose  feet  are  made  small  by 
pressure.  The  method  used  to  produce  this  horri- 
ble result — after  all,  no  worse  than  wearing  fash- 
ionable shoes  with  high  heels  and  pointed  toes — 


Foot  of  the  Chinese  woman  of  fashion. 


f.l 


OUR    FEET  69 

is  as  follows ;  When  the  Chinese  girl  reaches  her 
third  year,  the  four  smaller  toes  on  each  foot  are 
bent  down  under  the  ball  of  the  foot,  leaving  the 
great  toe  straight.  The  whole  foot  is  then  bound 
up  tightly  in  this  position,  to  make  it  pointed  and 
very  narrow,  and  to  prevent  any  further  growth. 
In  walking,  of  course  the  child  really  walks  on 
the  knuckles  of  these  toes,  which  causes  them  to 
become  red  and  swollen,  and  the  bandages  cause 
great  suffering  to  the  victim.  Fortunately  the 
foot  gradually  conforms  to  the  position,  and  in 
time  the  pain  subsides.  The  toes,  being  inactive, 
cease  to  grow,  and  become  almost  a  part  of  the 
ball  of  the  foot,  which  by  this  time  has  assumed  a 
rounded  form  with  a  point,  the  great  toe,  as  its 
apex. 

Another  barbarous  operation  is  performed,  and 
of  so  severe  a  nature  that  it  causes  the  death  of 
many  of  the  most  delicate  children.  The  foot  is 
forced  downward,  imtil  the  point  of  the  great  toe 
almost  touches  the  heel,  and  the  whole  foot  is 
bound  tightly  in  that  horrible  position.  This 
bandaging  is  often  removed,  but  never  loosened ; 
and  the  foot  is  bent  more  and  more,  month  by 
month,  until  finally  the  great  toe  lies  alongside  of 
the  other  toes  on  the  ball  of  the  foot,  and  the  whole 
bunch  is  actuallv  doubled  over  into  the  arch  of  the 


70  OUR    FEET 

foot,  where  it  remains.  It  is  the  "  smalhiess  "  of 
this  kind  of  "  foot  "  which  so  often  excites  the 
envy  of  some  of  our  fashionable  women  and  shal- 
low-pated  men;  the  foot,  of  which  they  are  so 
envious,  being  nothing  but  a  stump,  a  bit  of  heel 
and  a  bit  of  toe,  with  a  mark  like  a  cicatrix  be- 
tw^een  them. 

vSometimes,  when  the  parents  are  not  wealth}', 
and  the  girl  is  compelled  to  work  for  a  living,  the 
foot  is  not  bound ;  but  such  are  the  social  customs 
of  China  that  the  girl  considers  natural  feet  a 
disgrace,  and  attempts  to  disguise  the  supposed 
deformity  in  every  way.  Often,  on  the  marriage 
day.  pieces  of  cork  are  strapped  to  the  soles  of 
the  feet,  and  to  these  slippers  are  fitted.  Of  course 
these  slippers  are  very  small,  and,  protruding  from 
beneath  the  dress,  are  supposed  to  deceive  the 
guests.  And  this  is  only  an  aggravated  form  of 
"  fashion." 

The  all-wise  Creator  formed  human  feet,  and 
when  the  clothing  of  the  feet  is  made  to  conform 
to  nature,  it  is  right;  and  not  otherwise.  Then, 
and  only  then,  will  it  protect  the  feet  from  cold 
and  injury,  and  not  distort  or  crowd  their 
structure  in  any  way.  This  is  of  vital  importance, 
as  the  condition  of  the  feet  powerfully  influences 
the  health  of  the  whole  bodv. 


OUR    FEET  71 

Boots  and  shoes  should  be  long  enough  and 
wide  enough  to  allow  all  five  toes  to  lie  in  their 
natural  position,  without  crowding.  In  the  nat- 
ural position,  the  great  toe  lies  in  a  direct  line 
from  its  point  to  the  center  of  the  heel ;  and  if  we 
force  this  toe  out  of  line,  the  result  is  distortion. 
When  this  result  has  been  accomplished,  the  boots 
or  shoes  should  not  be  made  to  conform  to  the 
bent  toe,  but  should  be  made  as  if  the  toe  were 
straight;  then  the  toe,  afforded  room,  will  gradu- 
ally resume  its  natural  position.  If  the  shoe  is 
made  so  that  the  toe  is  pressed  outward  by  gentle 
pressure  on  its  joint,  this  will  greatly  contribute  to 
its  resuming  the  natural  position,  if  no  inflamma- 
tion exists  in  the  joint. 

Shoes  which  are  too  short  are  the  greatest  cause 
of  distortion  of  the  great  toe,  bunions,  and  ingrow- 
ing toe-nails. 

The  heels  of  boots  and  shoes  should  not  be  high 
and  narrow,  but  low  and  broad,  to  give  firm  and 
steady  support  to  the  foot ;  and  the  last  should  be 
so  constructed  as  to  allow  the  heel  to  fit  well  down 
into  the  shoe,  so  that  a  very  light  pressure  over 
the  instep  will  keep  the  foot  from  slipping  for- 
ward. 

The  soles  of  walking-shoes  should  be  rather 
heavy,  but  for  house  or  carriage  w^ear  may  be  con- 


72  OUR   FEET 

siderably  lighter.  Heavy  soles  protect  the  feet 
from  dampness,  and  from  being  bruised  by  uneven 
surfaces;  light  soles  are  no  protection  whatever 
from  either,  and  are  the  cause  of  corns  and  callosi- 
ties on  the  soles  of  the  feet. 

The  upper  part  of  the  boot  or  shoe,  of  whatever 
material  it  may  be  made,  should  be  sufficiently 
loose  across  the  toes  to  allow  the  great  toe  to  re- 
tain, or  resume,  if  distorted,  its  natural  position. 

If  the  heel  of  the  foot  has  been  allowed  to  sink 
into  the  heel  of  the  shoe,  by  a  proper  construction 
of  the  last,  and  if  the  arch  of  the  foot  is  properly 
supported  by  an  elevation  of  that  part  of  the  sole 
called  the  shank,  under  the  arch,  very  moderate 
pressure  over  the  instep  will  be  sufficient  to  keep 
the  foot  in  its  proper  place,  thus  making  walking 
easy  and  pleasant. 

Shoemakers  are  often  ignorant  of  the  principles 
on  which  the  construction  of  foot-wear  is  based: 
but  more  frequently  are  wholly  ignorant  of  the 
character  of  the  complex  organisms  on  which  their 
art  is  bestowed.  Almost  invariably  they  adhere 
blindly  to  the  usages  and  forms  which  are  preva- 
lent, and  endeavor  to  follow  the  style  or  fashion 
as  well  as  they  can. 

Many  of  our  women,  with  beautiful  hands  and 
forms,  and  faces  of  almost  perfect  contour,  have 


OUR   FEET  73 

feet  quite  as  badly  deformed  as  the  various  cuts 
represent. 

The  author  hopes  that  the  facts  and  principles 
he  has  set  forth  will  lead  his  readers  to  care  prop- 
erly for  their  own  feet  and  those  of  their  children. 


74  OUR   FEET 


Ct)aptft  Clfticn 

ADDITIONAL  RECIPES  AND  THEIR 

USES 

For  Simple  Chilblains — To  Remove  Corns — To  Re- 
move Warts — To  Remove  Soft  Corns — For  In- 
growing Toe-Nails — For  Perspiring  Feet — Cold 
and  Clammy  Feet — For  Hard  Corns  and  Callos- 
ities— Use  of  Antiseptics  and  Instruments. 


N  addition  to  the  remedies  and  treatment 
given  for  use  in  the  various  diseases  of 
the  feet,  there  are  miany  others  that  are 
iust  as  good,  and  which  will  effect  a  cure 
just  as  quickly.  To  some  they  may  prove  more 
desirable,  so  I  append  a  few  of  the  most  impor- 
tant. 

For  inflammatory  conditions : 
( I )  A  warm  carbolic  acid  dressing  which  is  rec- 
ommended throughout  the   preceding  pages   for 
inflammatory  conditions  is  made  and  applied  as 
follows : 

Add  to  one  fi)  quart  of  hot  water  one  (i)  or 


OUR    FEET  75 

two  (2)  teaspoonfuls  of  carbolic  acid.  Mix  thor- 
oughly. 

This  is  to  be  applied  to  the  inflamed  area  on 
cloths  of  some  soft  material  like  gauze,  and  the 
gauze  held  in  place  by  a  bandage.  Every  twenty 
or  thirty  minutes  the  dressing  should  be  moistened 
by  the  addition  of  some  of  the  solution  squeezed 
into  the  dressing  from  a  sponge. 

The  solution  must  be  kept  warm. 

Before  operating  knives,  scissors  or  any  kinds 
of  instruments  used  in  cutting  corns  or  callosities 
must  be  very  clean  or  sterilized  before  using. 

Papier  fayard  can  be  used  for  bunions,  espe- 
cially when  affected  with  rheumatics  or  gout;  it 
can  be  applied  to  corns  after  they  have  been 
treated. 

Cocoa-butter  is  excellent  for  the  feet,  especially 
when  the  skin  is  rough  and  dry,  and  should  be 
rubbed  in  thoroughly  after  each  bath. 

For  sore  and  sensitive  feet  use  Dr.  P.  Kahlers' 
Sons  salve  for  tender  feet. 

Pond's  Extract  or  witch-hazel  are  excellent  for 
burning  feet.  After  each  bath  antiphlogistine 
will  reduce  swelling  or  pain  in  bunions,  etc. ;  it 
can  be  used  instead  of  poultices. 

Tchthyol  soap  should  be  used  for  chilblains  or 
eczema. 


76  OUR    FEET 

For  a  foot  bath  sea  salt,  borax  or  ammonia  used 
in  the  water  when  bathing  the  feet  will  be  found 
very  refreshing. 

For  feet  that  perspire  freely,  bathe  morning 
and  evening  in  cold  water,  adding  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  alcohol ;  also  wear  low  shoes. 

For  cold  feet,  bathe  in  cold  water  morning  and 
evening ;  after  each  bath,  rub  briskly ;  wear  two 
pairs  stockings. 

To  remove  soft  corns  between  the  toes,  take  a 
small  piece  of  sponge  or  cotton,  saturated  with 
spirits  of  camphor  or  with  lemon  juice;  placing 
this  on  the  corn  for  two  or  three  nights,  then  bathe 
the  foot  in  warm  water,  removing  the  corn  with 
a  dull  instrument ;  this  should  be  repeated  until 
cured. 

For  ingrowing  toe-nails,  accompanied  with 
proud  flesh,  first  bathe  the  foot  in  hot  water  for 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes ;  dry  thoroughly,  after 
which  sponge  the  parts  affected  with  hydrozone 
morning  and  evening:  also  remove  imbedded  nail 
with  scissors,  as  described  in  Chapter  V. 

FOR  CHILBLAINS. 

Oil  of  mustard,  lo  drops;  alcohol,  one  ounce. 
Rub  into  the  affected  part  with  hand. 


OUR   FEET  77 

FOR    LAME    OR    TIRED    FEET    AFTER 

BATH. 

One  ounce  each  of  glycerine,  spirits  of  cam- 
phor and  spirits  of  chloroform ;  alcohol,  3  ounces ; 
oil  of  rose,  10  drops.    Rub  in  after  bath. 

One  ounce  each  of  tincture  of  arnica,  witch- 
hazel  and  alcohol.    Rub  in  after  foot  bath. 

REMEDIES    FOR    SIMPLE    CHILBLAINS. 

I.  Dissolve  one  ounce  of  sulphate  of  zinc  in  one 
pint  of  water,  and  bathe  the  affected  parts  several 
times  daily  until  cured. 

II.  L^se  hydrochloric  acid ;  dilute  10  per  cent. ; 
sponge  parts  affected  morning  and  evening  after 
each  bath. 

III.  A  mixture  of  one  part  kerosene  oil  and 
two  parts  common  olive  oil,  rubbed  into  the  foot 
morning  and  evening,  will  prove  a  quick  and 
effective  remedy. 

TO  REMOVE  COMMON   CORNS. 

When  small  in  size,  an  effective  eradicator  will 
be  found  in  nitrate  of  silver  (lunar  caustic). 
Merely  wet  the  corn  and  touch  it  with  a  pencil  of 
caustic    every  evening  before  going  to  bed,  the 


78  OUR    FEET 

feet    having    been    previously    bathed    in    warm 
water. 

TO  REMOVE  WARTS. 

L  Dip  the  end  of  a  pencil  of  lunar  caustic  in  a 
little  water,  and  touch  it  to  the  warts,  daily.  In 
the  course  of  a  week  or  so  the  warts  will  entirely 
disappear. 

FOR  HARD  CORNS  AND  CALLOSITIES. 

K  Acid  salicylic 3i 

Extr.  cannab.  ind gr.x. 

Collodii §  i 

M.     Sig. — External  use. 

Paint  the  corn  or  callosity  with  a  camel's-hair 
brush  two  successive  nights,  the  third  night  bath- 
ing the  foot  in  hot  water ;  then  carefully  pick 
away  the  softened  parts.  This  can  be  repeated  in 
one  week  if  necessary. 

The  following  recipes  I  have  used  in  my  own 
profession,  and  any  of  the  said  compounds  men- 
tioned in  this  book  can  be  had  on  application  to 
Dr.  P.  Kahler's  Sons. 

xA.ll  kinds  of  chiropodist  instruments,  such  as 
nail  clippers,  scissors,  corn  knives,  corn  and  nail 
files,    complete    sets    of    instrument    cases ;    also 


OUR    FEET  79 

salves,  antiseptics,  all  kinds  of  instep  supporters 
for  flat  feet,  the  right  and  left  stockings,  broad 
sole  boots  and  shoes,  for  comfort,  made  on  hy- 
gienic principles,  can  be  had  at  the  store. 


8o  OUR    FEET 


Ctjapter  tEtoeltie 
SUNDRIES 

Abraham  Lincoln — The  Sandal  Shoe — Right  and  Left 
Stocking— Foot  and  Stocking  Cut  Combined— Things 
Not  to  Do. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

BRAHAM  LINCOLN  was  six  feet  and 
four  inches  in  height,  had  a  very  large 
foot  and  wore  large,  easy  boots ;  he 
could  use  his  brains  and  did  so.  Dr.  P. 
Kahler,  deceased,  measured  his  feet,  and  made 
boots  for  him  during  the  war.  The  drawing 
taken  by  the  doctor  can  be  seen  at  the  store. 

Great  writers  and  business  men  have  said, 
'■  When  my  feet  trouble  me,  I  cannot  use  my 
brain,  consequently,  I  am  not  fit  for  business." 


aBSS 


Various  styles  of  sandals  worn  in  the  fifteenth  and 
seventeenth  centuries. 


OUR    FEET 


THE  SANDAL  SHOE. 

The  cuts  illustrate  the  form  of  sandal  worn 
in  the  Fifteenth  and  Seventeenth  centuries. 
Then  the  toes  were  entirely  uncovered.  The 
sandal  shoes  were  made  of  different  materials, 
styles  and  colors,  light  or  medium  tops,  with 
a  good  sole,  broad  toes  and  no  heels,  thus  giving 
plenty  of  room  for  the  five  toes,  with  freedom  and 
air  to  the  feet,  and  affording  health  and  strength 
to  the  body,  as  well  as  to  the  feet. 

Then  why  not  give  the  same  opportunity  to  the 
feet  in  this  Twentieth  Century  by  wearing:  shoes 
with  broad  soles  and  toes,  and  with  low  heels  for 
health  and  comfort.  If  parents  do  not  wish  to  do 
this,  they  should  provide  their  children  with  the 
only  proper  shoes,  so  that  they  may  have  perfect 
and  sound  feet,  and  find  ease  and  comfort  in 
either  standing  or  walking. 


82  OUR    FEET 


THE  RIGHT  AND  LEFT  STOCKING. 

That  the  wearing  of  narrow-toed  stockings  is 
harmful  to  the  feet  has  been  proved  by  thousands 
of  cases. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  materials  as  soft 
as  these  cannot  change  the  shape  of  the  feet,  for 
a  steady  pressure  can  distort  and  misplace  joints, 
and  cause  ingrowing  toe-nails. 

The  right  and  left  stockings  should  be  worn, 
for  the  reason  that  they  are  made  to  fit  each  foot, 
and  are  so  shaped  that  though  not  cramping  the 
toes,  they  fit  snugly  and  may  be  worn  with  any 
style  of  shoe ;  they  will  therefore  give  more  com- 
fort than  is  possible  with  stockings  of  the  usual 
shape.  These  stockings  are  made  with  white  feet 
to  the  instep,  and  being  made  straight  on  the  in- 
side give  ample  room  for  the  great  toe,  and  as 
there  is  no  pressure  they  wear  very  much  longer. 

These  stockings  are  made  for  men  and  women. 


The  Right  and  Left  Stockings. 
Manufactured  by  Dr.  P.  Kahler's  Sons. 


OUR   FEET  83 


How  We  Came  to  Adopt  the  System 
of  Boots  and  Shoes 

N  the  practice  of  our  profession  we  found 
great  difficulty  in  procuring  properly  con- 
structed boots  and  shoes.  After  restoring 
the  foot  to  a  healthy  condition,  it  would 
happen  that  the  improperly  made  shoe  which  they 
persisted  in  wearing  would  bring  back  the  original 
difficulty,  or  something  as  bad  or  worse.  None 
can  doubt  that  most  of  the  diseases  and  deformi- 
ties of  the  feet  of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  under 
which  so  many  suffer,  are  directly  or  indirectly 
caused  by  want  of  knowledge  or  by  want  of 
thought  on  the  part  of  those  who  call  themselves 
"  Boot  and  Shoe  Makers."  They  are  in  ignorance 
or  they  are  regardless  of  the  principles  on  which 
the  clothing  of  the  feet  should  be  constructed. 
Not  comprehending  the  anatomy  and  physiology 
of  the  complex  organism  on  which  their  labor  is 
bestowed,  they  either  blindly  stick  to  the  usages 
and  forms  in  which  they  were  trained  or  which 
have  become  prevalent,  or  follow  the  fashion, 
however  irrational  or  unhealthy  the  paths  through 


84  OUR    FEET 

which  it  ma}-  lead.  Too  often,  however,  the  fault 
is  with  the  wearer,  who  will  obstinately  and  un- 
wisely insist  on  wearing  shoes  too  short  or  too 
narrow,  and  sometimes  both ;  thus  crowding  five 
toes  into  a  space  not  sufiicient  for  three,  and,  in 
many  cases  which  I  have  seen,  not  allowing  for 
the  entire  fi^'e  room  enough  for  two.  The  boot- 
maker, who  thinks  he  must  please  the  customer, 
to  retain  his  patronage,  complies.  The  result  is 
that  the  joints  of  the  great  toes  are  pressed  out  of 
place,  made  inactive  and  powerless,  and  often  al- 
most paralyzed.  Ingrowing  nails  are  caused  in 
the  same  way,  and  corns,  both  soft  and  hard. 
Shoes  too  narrow  or  shoes  too  short  produce  great 
evils ;  but  shoes  or  boots  both  narrow  and  short 
give  Nature  no  opportunity  to  protect  herself,  and, 
as  though  incensed  beyond  endurance,  she  re- 
venges herself  upon  the  violator  of  law%  filling  him 
with  unceasing  and  insupportable  pains.  Heels 
much  too  high  and  placed  under  the  arch  of  the 
foot  cause  other  evils,  besides  aggravating  such 
as  have  been  already  described :  the  body  is 
thrown  forward  and  kept  in  an  unnatural  position, 
and  the  knee  peculiarly  affected.  The  connection 
of  the  knee  with  the  nervous  system  is  well  known 
to  physicians.  Nothing  weakens  a  man  more  than 
anv  difpicultv  of  the  knee ;  nervous   excitement. 


The  white  dots  on  this  cut  show  the  shape  of  the 
stocking  as  well  as  the  pointed  shoe  worn  at  the  pres- 
ent time  ;  to  have  comfort  persons  must  wear  broad 
toe  stockings  as  well  as  shoes. 


OUR   FEET  85 

especially  fear,  is  spoken  of  as  ''  weak  knees." 
With  such  heels  the  action  of  every  muscle  em- 
ployed in  walking  or  in  maintaining-  the  erect 
posture  of  the  body,  is  interfered  with.  The  evil 
effect  extends  to  parts  of  the  body  which  would 
naturally  be  thought  farthest  removed  from  injury 
from  such  a  source.  A  leading  oculist,  not  long 
since,  after  many  experiments,  traced  an  obstinate 
difficulty  of  the  muscles  of  the  eye  to  the  effect  of 
the  long  wearing  of  improperly  made  shoes. 

This  physician  under  no  circumstances  would 
treat  any  persons  that  would  insist  upon  wearing 
high  heeled  shoes. 


S6  OUR    FEET 


THINGS   YOU    OUGHT   NOT   TO    DO    IN 
REGARD   TO    FOOT-WEAR 

1.  Xever  wear  a  shoe  that  will  not  allow  all  of 
your  five  toes  to  have  plenty  of  room. 

2.  Xever  wear  a  shoe  that  the  sole  is  narrower 
than  your  foot. 

3.  ]\ever  wear  a  shoe  that  pinches  your  toes. 

4.  Xever  wear  a  boot  or  shoe  that  is  tight  any- 
where. It  stops  the  flow  of  blood  and  weakens 
the  muscles. 

5.  Xever  wear  a  shoe  that  is  too  large  in  the 
heel  or  instep.    Friction  is  as  bad  as  pressure. 

6.  Xe^'er  wear  high  heels,  as  they  will,  in  time, 
give  you  headaches.  Your  eyes  will  trouble  you, 
the  spine  will  become  weakened  and  your  internal 
organs  will  become  misplaced. 

7.  Xever  allow  your  children  to  wear  heels.  It 
weakens  the  ankle,  and  it  causes  the  arch  to  be- 
come flat.     A  spring  heel  is  the  shoe. 

8.  Xever  wear  one  pair  of  shoes  all  the  time, 
unless  you  are  compelled  to  do  so.  Two  pairs  of 
shoes  worn  a  day  at  a  time,  alternating,  gives  more 
comfort  and  are  much  more  healthful. 


OUR    FEET  87 

g.  Never  think  that  your  feet  will  grow  larger 
from  wearing  broad-toed  shoes.  Pinching  and 
distortion  makes  them  grow  not  only  larger,  but 
unsightly,  and  imperils  the  health. 

TO.  Never  wear  a  short  or  pointed  stocking; 
you  must  bear  in  mind  that  they  shrink.  Narrow 
or  pointed  stockings  are  as  injurious  as  a  shoe 
made  on  the  same  principle.  The  right  and  left 
stockings  are  the  correct  ones.  Avoid  colored 
stockings  over  the  toes  and  the  sole  of  the  foot. 

11.  Never  mind  the  fashion.  Do  not  shrink 
from  being  laughed  at  by  the  ignorant.  Wear  the 
shoe  that  gives  you  comfort  and  health. 

12.  Never  avoid  bathing  the  feet  too  often,  as 
cleanliness  is  next  to  Godliness. 


88  OUR    FEET 

PEDIC  SOCIETY 

Members  of  the  Pedic  Society  of  the  State  of 
New  York  are  known  as  Doctors  of  Chiropody, 
are  entitled  to  practice  in  this  State  or  in  any 
other.  Since  1895  ^^^^  ^^w  compels  every  person 
wishing-  to  practice  chiropody  in  this  State  to  ap- 
pear before  the  Medical  Board  of  Examiners  to 
qualify.  If  the  examination  prove  satisfactory,  a 
diploma  will  be  given  entitling  its  possessor  to 
practice  on  the  same  conditions  as  required  of  any 
physician  of  the  State  known  as  surgeon-chiropo- 
dist. 


Worn-down  heels  and  crooked 
shoes  produce  corns  and  other  mala- 
dies of  the  feet. 


All  veterinary  doctors  and  horse 
fanciers  are  interested  in  the  proper 
shoeing  of  their  horses.  Therefore 
we  should  see  that  our  feet  are 
properly  shod. 


OUR    FEET  89 


DR.  P.  KAHLER'S  SONS 

SURGEON-CHIROPODISTS 


BROADWAY 


OFFICE      JQA.  M.  tOI2M.  NFW      YORK 

HOURS  :  1  2  P.  M.  to  5  P.  M.  ^^^     I  ^I^^^ 


The  book  entitled,  ^' Dress  and  Care  of  the 
Feet,"  written  by  Dr.  Peter  Kahler,  deceased,  can  be 
obtained  free,  by  sending  to 

928  and  930  Broadway 
New  York 

ESTABLISHED  1868 


nnTTTMETA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
COLUMBIA  u  i.Ni  V  ^^  ^j^^ 

This  boolc  is  due  on  the. date  md.cateOelo^  ,^^^^^.^^^ 
e.pl'ation  of  a  de^^  Pe^^^^^^^  or  .y  spedal  ar- 


DATE  BORROWED 


DATE  DUE 


DATE  BORROWEdI^^ 


C28(239)M100 


